Fruits Basket: After Story
by Ami Meitsu
Summary: Three years after the curse breaks, Akito is still working at getting to know herself and putting her life back together, only to find an obstacle in the form of a new house servant who initially only took his job to unlock the family secrets. In the middle of this, the LAST thing either expected was to find a connection with the other. Akito/OC
1. The Trouble with Dresses

_**Introduction:**_ _So…This is it. Finally. I've been trying to get the courage to post this for MONTHS. Why? Because frankly, this fandom scares me. And since I DID break up a beloved canon ship, I figured that this would be far from appreciated. But, I'm not going to apologise to that. Because nothing will make me ever want to ship Akito/Shigure. I do not believe their relationship is healthy. At all. To me, it seems like Shigure is obsessed with Akito. He sees her as more of a possession than a true girlfriend or partner. It's also possible, in accordance with Ren's theory in chapter 115 that he's obsessed with who Akito_ _ **could be**_ _with his influence and lack of the curse. That being said, I just don't find this healthy for Akito in any way. This, and the fact their relationship is laced with manipulation and abuse on both ends. I was also hard-pressed to find out exactly WHY there were supposed to be in love. Also, I don't think her being with ANYONE in the Zodiac circle is healthy. Period. I believe what she really needs, especially in her romantic pursuits, is someone outside of everything, so that she can grow beyond that circle of hers, beyond that bond. She needs someone truly on the "outside" to accept her and see her for who she is and what_ _ **she**_ _personally wants to be following the events of the canon story. And, on top of all of this, I believe that Akito really should have taken some time for herself at the end instead of jumping into a relationship. I think about it this way, Akito was only_ _ **twenty**_ _when the manga ended. And after all the crap she went through…I seriously doubt she knows who she is and think she should have taken time to figure that out._

 _That being said, here's a bit of background: Akito and Shigure broke up the September after Kyo, Tohru and Yuki entered their third year of high school. On the advice of her therapist and after much thinking, Akito decided it would be best to break of the relationship and take some time for herself. In that time, she's reinvented herself, taken more responsibility as head of the family (including attending university and taking business courses). She's also managed to make some friends, one of whom is Shima Sohma, my canon-universe OC who is Shigure's younger sister and plays a decent role in his story in my headcanon._

 _Also, this story is linked to my second-generation Fruits Basket tale with the return of the curse. At the time this story starts, there are only three new members. Seiya (dog), Himeko (Dragon, Hatori's daughter) and Nori (snake). I'll elaborate on them as necessary, but since they're only two at the start of this particular story there's not a lot to say right now. Just know that they're there and are important._

 _Finally, reviews are more than welcome and I do take criticism, but I would like to ask that you keep it objective._

 _Anyway, without futher ado, I present_ _ **Fruits Basket: After Story**_ _._

* * *

 _ **The Trouble with Dresses**_

"You'll be working directly under the head of the household," One of the older maids explained as she led Tedachi through the winding paths of Sohma house. "You basically do whatever Akito tells you to do around the house."

Tedachi simply nodded in response as he took in his surroundings. The place was far bigger than he had imagined. However, the upside was that big places like this usually had a few decent hiding spots and places he could observe people casually. The main objective of this job was to dig up the secrets he had been curious about since he was a kid. Being born to a lower part of the family off the estate made it difficult to be in the know, and it bothered him so, when he'd heard about an opportunity to worm his way into the main estate via work, he jumped at the chance.

' _I'm starting to think I was meant to figure this out…'_ He thought. _'Because luck did place me in direct contact with the controller of the secrets…'_ He smiled to himself, soon dropping the smile and his train of thought when he slammed into the woman in front of him who simply sighed.

"Do watch where you're going. And pay attention when people stop," She scolded before motioning him to follow her up the steps of the biggest house on the estate, stopping in the main foyer. "Wait here." She ordered, quickly scurrying off.

' _Who needs this much space? It seems too quiet here…Shouldn't there be some more maids or something? And where is this mysterious man I keep hearing about?'_ He pondered as he looked around and soon turned his attention back to the hallway when the maid returned with a dark-haired…man? Woman? He honestly wasn't sure, despite the dress. _'Hmm…'_ He thought as he discreetly looked Akito over, from the dark eyes fixated on him, to the black dress covered with a white jacket and matched with black stockings.

"So, you're the new addition to my staff," Akito commented as she looked _him_ over, raising an eyebrow when he didn't make any sort of move to properly greet her.

"Oh…" Tedachi said upon catching her look. "I'm sorry. I'm Tedachi Sohma."

"If you're a _Sohma_ how did you end up here?"

"I was born in the lower end of the family and I needed a job. I was always playing the handyman at home for free, so I figured I might as well make money doing it."

"Very well then. There's a list of things for you to do on the kitchen counter. If you need help with anything there's some other staff floating around who can help," Akito told him sharply before turning back towards the hall.

"Don't mind her, she's still a little stressed about cleaning up after New Year's," The older maid commented.

"Oh…I'm not…Wait… _Her_?!" Tedachi said, to which Akito promptly turned around. "So, you _are_ a girl?"

"I don't remember stating otherwise."

"Sorry…That was rude…It's just…I wasn't…It's the hair and…"

' _Whatever,'_ Akito thought, rolling her eyes before continuing on. She wasn't quite sure what to make of this guy, but knew she'd have an opinion by the end of the day when she checked his progress. Though, she had to admit that he wasn't off to a good start.

* * *

Throughout the morning, Tedachi followed the cues of the rest of the staff as he diligently attended to his list, making mental notes as he did. By mid afternoon, he had managed to figure that two of the younger maids were both cheating on their spouses…with each other, that the older ones were harder to read, but kept many secrets and that Akito was kind of a mystery to all of them. He noted that he didn't see her all day, and as he swept up the main hall, he got nosy about a cracked door and carefully crept up to it, watching as she paced her study with a mobile phone in hand.

"I finally found a dress! It's this really lovely pink with this rose on the sash and…it's just amazing!" Shima exclaimed over the line. "What about you? You find anything yet?"

"I told you, I'll just go through the closet," Akito replied shortly.

"No, you're not! This is really important to Ritsu! Do you know how long it took him to work up the courage to even ask Mitsuru? How would they feel if you showed up in something you just pulled from the closet?"

"I really don't care how they feel about my outfit. And besides, I have plenty of things to choose from."

"Not in the semi-formal category. Most of your dresses are floaty summer dresses or plain, professional style ones. Besides, if you don't suck it up and go get one, I will come over there myself and drag you all around town until you do."

"But you're supposed to be pitching novels!"

"True…I know, I can send Kagura in my place!"

"You will do _NO_ such thing! I'll go by myself!" Akito snapped before flipping her phone closed, resisting the urge to chuck it at the wall, especially after she realised that Shima had successfully manipulated her into going shopping. _'Damn her! She's just like her damn brother! Pushing people's buttons until she gets what she wants...'_ She scowled at the thought as she turned to leave.

' _Shit!'_ Tedachi thought as he scrambled back to his spot, settling there just as the door slammed open and Akito stomped down the hall, not even sparing him a glance as she passed. _'I'm safe…good!'_ He thought, smiling to himself as she suddenly stopped.

"You…" She started, looking over her shoulder at him.

"Tedachi," He corrected her.

"Right. Tedachi…What are you doing after you finish the sweeping?"

"Picking up the stray sticks and leaves in the garden."

"No you're not. Once you're finished here, come find me."

"Um…Okay?" He replied, getting a glare in response. "I mean…Yes, Miss Sohma."

"Akito."

"What?"

"Just call me Akito. All the maids do because there's so many members of this family. It gets a little confusing if we don't use our first names," She informed him as she turned and finally walked away.

' _I don't get her…At all. Everything I've heard about her makes it seem like she's this dark mystery, yet…she seems like a normal woman…girl? How old is she anyway? I guess that doesn't matter…She's very straightforward and doesn't beat around the bush. At all. She knows what needs to be done and makes sure it gets done. It's almost…boring,'_ He thought to himself as he moved into the next hallway to resume his sweeping, letting out a breath when he was finally done and then doing as he was ordered and seeking out Akito, whom he found in her bedroom, flipping through a book on the bed. _'This room is ridiculous…'_

"What are you _doing_?" Akito asked, sitting up to face him.

"Just looking."

"It's not that impressive," She shrugged.

"You are kidding, right?! This room is twice the size of mine at home! You could probably fit _three_ people in your bed!"

Akito simply ignored him, moving to rifle through the closet and emerging with a jacket and handbag. "We're going out," She declared.

"But…We just met."

"Not like _that_! I know from the file they left me that you can drive, so you're taking me shopping. I have an event to attend tomorrow and no outfit."

"I'm sure there's someone else you can drag into this. There are plenty of female servants and…"

"I can't take them!" Akito practically shouted, before glancing at the ground. "Last time I…They…Well…It didn't end well, okay?"

"Okay."

"Just…Come on. I'll get a set of keys."

* * *

' _Never thought I'd end up in one of these places again after Miyuki moved out…'_ Tedachi thought as he glanced around a shop awhile later. Once they'd arrived, Akito had told him to go entertain himself as she flipped through racks frustratingly. He did as he was told and moved to another section where he could watch her without her knowing. After a few minutes he noted that there was more than frustration in her eyes. She seemed to be a combination of annoyed, disappointed and…there was a hint of internal struggle as she sieved through racks and glared at a good handful of the designs.

' _Maybe there's more to her than I thought…'_ He observed, soon taking to pacing around the store when he got bored, soon realising that after a half hour, he hadn't seen heads or tails of Akito. She hadn't even bothered to go over any choices with him, not that she had to. He then contemplated his own choices for a minute. He could continue walking around bored, or he could find her and at least make sure she was okay…

With a long sigh, he chose the latter and reluctantly made his way over to and stopped in front of the changing area. "Akito?" He asked. "Are you alright? I mean…" He started, giving a thoroughly startled gasp when, without a word, her hand shot out, grabbed him and dragged him in. "What was _that_ about?!" He said, stopping when he turned and found her on the floor, surrounded by various colours of silk, lace, taffeta, tulle and several other fabrics he couldn't place.

"I…I don't know what I'm supposed to do," She said, nervously playing with the fabric of her jacket, which sat in her lap.

"What do you mean?" He asked, noting the distressed look in her eyes.

"I can't decide on _any_ of these!"

"But there's like…twenty dresses here! It can't really be that hard can it? You just pick a colour you like and a style and…"

"God, you're a _moron_. I takes a little more than that! And that's not even the problem!"

"Then what is?"

"None of them fit me!"

"Oh, well…" Tedachi stuttered, as he tried to think of a reply, stopping to look her over for a moment. _'I can't see how none of these fit, they're all scary small. Then again she is rather thin…And probably only about 162.5 centimetres…Maybe she could…'_ He pondered, carrying the thought over into his sentence as he said, "Did you try teen sizes?"

"I'd rather _die_!" Akito nearly cried, the faintest of tears brimming in her eyes. "Don't you _dare_ say those awful things my mother says! Especially when you barely know me!"

' _Her…mother? Well…this is interesting…There's obviously something to that,'_ He thought, his attention soon turning to the fabric his hand had instinctively wrapped around. After a quick glance he picked up a lovely, dark violet spaghetti strap dress with a layered skirt and a rose that sat at the left where the slit for the skirt started. He then took a minute to look it over before glancing back at her, and giving her another once over before deciding that the colour worked well, especially with her dark hair. Then there was the added bonus that it would definitely show off her shoulders well, with the straps and her hairstyle.

"This one's small…Really small. Did you try this one? The colour looks like it would suit you and this layered skirt is really nice. Plus, the lavender parts add a decent contrast. We could even get you a cute little headband or something and put a matching lavender rose on it," He suggested, immediately realising that he probably sounded like some sort of freak. Though it wasn't his fault. He'd been dragged into helping his older sister with her cosplay schemes since they were kids.

"I did try that one…" Akito admitted. "And it sort of fit…More or less…But it was kind of…It just…" She said, struggling to find the right words.

"Well, if it fits, then it should work...right?"

"Sure. Just…Just grab it and we'll go," She sighed, figuring she might as well take it, even if it was just to prevent having to try on another twenty or thirty dresses that she knew wouldn't fit.

He offered a nod in response as he stood, holding out his hand to help her up before they headed back to the house, where they quickly went their separate ways as Tedachi went back to work and Akito went off to do…whatever it was she did with herself. He didn't expect to see her again and, as a result, was thoroughly surprised when he found her flipping through magazines in the main living area outside the kitchen.

"The cook had to leave early, so I thought I'd try and make dinner," He said as he entered, frowning when he received no response as she turned another page. "I'll make whatever you want. You are in charge after all."

"I don't care what you make. As long as it's heavy on soybeans and vegetables…Maybe throw some fish in there too," She finally said as she read over a page.

"Um…alright?" He said, raising an eyebrow as he watched her and then quietly making his way around to where she was lying on the floor. "What are you reading so intently anyway?"

At that, her head shot up and she quickly scrambled to close and grab the three magazines lying around her. "None of your business!" She snapped as she stood.

"Oh come _on_ ," He teased. "Let me see."

"Go to hell."

"I don't think that's how someone in your position is supposed to treat the ones serving you."

Akito scoffed and moved to leave, but didn't think to watch her footing and ended up sliding back to the floor when her stocking-covered foot slipped.

"Here, let me help," Tedachi offered as she sat up on her knees, raising an eyebrow after picking up the three magazines. _'Wait a minute…these are all teen magazines! And what's with these articles? Utilising pushup bras…Finding clothes to suit your body type…best foods for…wait a minute!'_ He thought, quickly putting the pieces together.

" _Give me those_!," Akito snapped, glaring up at him from her place on the floor.

He ignored her as he turned over the pieces one more time and started pondering again. _'Dress size…And body image articles…it can't be! I mean, I probably should have thought…I wasn't even sure if she was a girl!'_ He thought before saying. "Akito…? Don't tell me you've got no…"

"Don't you _dare_ finish that sentence!"

"But, you…You're…"

" _Shut up_!"

"You're flat-chested, aren't you?"

At that, she simply screamed in frustration. It was hard enough to have had to face the fact when she was finally able to wear women's clothes and found that hardly any of them fit her right. It got to the point where she gave up completely and had all of her clothes custom made at a discount by _Ayame_. Then there were the awful things her mother had said about her change, saying she'd never be a real woman, that she'd never be attractive with her lack of a chest. And now…this guy she didn't even know…who was supposed to be _working_ for her knew and was probably going to mock her, just like everyone else did. However, she was pleasantly surprised when he kneeled down and set a hand on her back.

"Feel better?" He asked.

"A little bit," She admitted.

"Now, tell me…is it really that bad?"

At that she stood. "I'll do you one better. I'll show you."

' _Huh?'_ Tedachi thought with a questioning look as she headed out after ordering him to stay.

* * *

' _So…Let me get this straight…'_ He thought to himself as he waited. _'Akito is basically described as some sort of dark mystery. And she's supposed to be dangerous…I mean, I guess she does have a temper. I've been snapped at quite a few times today….But that doesn't scream danger to me. In fact, I don't see anything but a relatively normal woman…Well, on the outside anyway. There's obviously some mommy issues here…And then there's this whole body image thing…That was unexpected to say the least. You wouldn't think someone like that would have those problems…But I guess everyone does. Though I don't get it. So her boobs are small, so what?'_

"Thanks for waiting," Akito finally said, her voice cutting through his thoughts as the door slid open.

"You told me to," He replied as he finally glanced up and looked her over. At first glance, the dress seemed to fit perfectly, the flower sat directly above her left hip and gave way to the slit that showed off the layers of the skirt, which fell just so around her legs, plus the colour worked really well. However, upon looking up, he realised what the problem was as she slipped her thumb under one of the straps, which, even with her adjustments, was rather loose…Just like the rest of the top.

"Well…What do you think? Super flat, right? Just like a board."

"Well…Um…Don't those dresses usually have pads or something?"

"It does, but they're not staying in place. This is why I _hate_ shopping for clothes. They never fit right."

"But…I don't understand. You've been wearing a dress all day."

"That was custom made. Every single one of my dresses is. I got sick of not being able to find ones that fit. I'm pathetic, really."

"Oh, well…maybe they'll grow in time…How old are you?"

"Twenty-three."  
 _'Or maybe not…'_ He thought before saying, "This is an easy fix, you know."

"What…are you doing?" She asked, watching his every step as he stood and moved behind her and started pulling at fabric.

"It just needs to be taken in a little…If only I had some pins and fabric…"

"Wait…Why would you want to fix this? And why are you even concerned with this?"

"Because you dragged me into this mess. I know I just started, but I promise you can trust me. I've been helping my sister sew cosplay for years…When do you need to wear this?"

"Tomorrow night."

"Oh, well… _shit_. This wouldn't be a problem if we had fabric but all the shops are closing and…"

"I know where we can go," Akito said with a smile as she turned and left again, eventually returning in her regular clothes with her jacket on and the dress. She quickly grabbed his wrist and pulled him with her to the car.

* * *

Awhile later, Tedachi raised an eyebrow as they stopped in front of a closed boutique.

"Um…Akito…This place is…"

"Shut up," She ordered as she flipped open her phone and hit a few buttons before stepping out of the car and motioning for him to follow, which he did, reluctantly. Stepping out just as the shop lights flicked on and Ayame stepped out.

"Well, well…Isn't this a surprise?" He said as he led them inside. "Who's your friend?"

"He's not a friend, he works for me," Akito replied. "And apparently he knows how to fix this." She held out the dress and Ayame raised an eyebrow.

"I'm hurt! My lovely Aki-Chan chose to venture elsewhere to fulfill her fantasies."

"Cut the nonsense! And _STOP_ calling me that, dammit! It's nothing against you…it's just…I put off getting a dress for the party tomorrow and it was just too late to ask you to make anything."

"Well, what's wrong with it?"

"It doesn't fit in the top…Because…well…"

"She's flat," Tedachi cut in, cringing when she abruptly elbowed him in the stomach.

"Oh, I know that," Ayame said with a casual wave of his hand. "I'm the one who makes all her dresses, so I know her measurements by heart. It also means I can work really well with what she _does_ have. Now, give me that and I'll see if I have some fabric that matches."

Akito did as she was told and he sauntered off.

"What's his deal?" Tedachi asked.

"No one knows," Akito shrugged. "He annoys the shit out of me…But he does good work. And he's also a member of the family."

' _Huh…'_ He thought as he watched Ayame compare fabrics for awhile before finally finding one that matched perfectly and leading them upstairs.

"Mine's with her parents for the week, so don't worry about making noise," Ayame informed them as he flipped on a few lights and led them to the main living room. "Wait…I've been rude. I haven't introduced myself. I'm Ayame Sohma."

"It's nice to meet you, I'm Tedachi Sohma," Tedachi said with a smile, knowing he was talking to him.

"So, you know how to sew?"  
"A little bit. My sister's been an avid cosplayer since she was a kid…and I've always been her assistant."

"And tonight you can be _mine_! Together we'll turn this mess into a masterpiece!" Ayame declared, throwing the dress at Akito, who had taken a place on the sofa. "Go put it on so I can see what needs to be done."

She scowled, but did as she was told and soon stood with Ayame hovering over her taking measurements and notes as he looked her over several times.

"This one shouldn't be too hard of a fix. Why do you always do this anyway? You know it's hard for you to find clothes. There's not a lot of women out there who are your height and flat…Did you try teen sizes?" Ayame said, getting a glare in response as she whipped around shoved him to the ground.

"Don't you _DARE_ treat me like that! It's bad enough that I get it from my mother _and_ the maids! I don't need it from _you_ too!"

' _Well then…'_ Ayame thought as he stood back up and resumed the task at hand, soon taking the dress back to work while she settled back on the sofa and Tedachi stood off to the side, waiting for someone to give him orders.

"You can sit, you know," Ayame told him. "I'll let you know if I need something."

"Oh…Alright…" Tedachi muttered, settling on the sofa next to Akito after some thought. "Do the other maids really pick on you?" He asked casually, surprised when she gave a soft nod in response.

"Last spring, one of the younger girls offered to accompany me and my friend when we went out. I was only meant to go to help Shima, but I somehow got goaded into trying on clothes and…She had something to say about everything…especially when she figured out the reason nothing fit. She then told me I should probably look in the Juniors' section because I have the body of an underdeveloped fifteen-year-old."

"That's harsh…Especially from someone you're paying."

"She got transferred to another part of the estate after that. And the others…They don't; say it to my face, but I hear them talking sometimes. It's horrible…I'm so flat they feel _sorry_ for me. Though the worst comments come from my mother…"

"You and your mom don't get along?"

Akito shook her head. "She hates me. Utterly and completely. And she says awful things. She told me that no one wants a girl with no boobs and that I have no chance of getting married to anyone decent."

"Oh."

At that, they both went silent for awhile, until Ayame called Tedachi over and quickly busied him with tasks while Akito took to flipping through a few of the books Ayame had lying around, waiting and watching as they worked well into the early hours of the morning.

"You know, you can sleep if you need to," Tedachi commented around three AM.

"No…" Akito said, flipping a page as she spoke. "I've got nothing better to do. I'm going to stay up until you're finished." She then gave small yawn and gently rubbed her eyes, getting two unnoticed smiles in response as the men cut more fabric and started on the second part of their project. Not long afterwards, they turned back at the sound of the book hitting the floor as she dropped to the sofa, sound asleep.

Without saying a word, Ayame stood and headed off to retrieve a blanket, which he promptly threw over her before returning to work, not stopping until the final stitch was secured right after the sunrise.

' _Finally…'_ Tedachi thought as he looked over the finished product once more before moving to the sofa and gently nudging Akito until she looked up at him.

"What?" She groaned as the sunlight hit her and she forced herself to sit up. "Where am I?"

"You're in my home, of course," Ayame replied. "And we have something for you!" He exclaimed, quickly pulling her up and then shoving the garment into her hands.

"Well, what do you think?" Tedachi asked minutes later as he and Ayame watched Akito stare at herself in a full-length mirror.

"I…It's…" She stuttered, searching everywhere in her brain for the right word. They had ended up redoing the top almost completely, and now, it fit perfectly. The straps no longer hung off her shoulders and it wrapped around exactly where it was meant to. And, on top of that, they'd taken the time to make her a cropped jacket made out of the same exact fabric that not only matched, but actually accentuated her bust.

"I don't need words, the look on your face is more than enough!" Ayame declared.

"I'm okay with his sentiment," Tedachi shrugged.

"… _Perfect_ ," Akito finally said. "It's perfect. But…You two are still idiots."

* * *

' _I can't believe she called us idiots…'_ Tedachi thought later in the evening as he tended to the house plants.

"I'm leaving now. I'm not sure when this thing is supposed to end, but you and Minori are the last two left in the house," Akito said as she approached. "She'll show you how to clean and lock up."

"Alright. You go enjoy yourself."

"I'll try, but I can't make any promises," Akito shrugged, thinking as she left, _'Maybe he's not so bad. He does good work and he really went out of his way to help me. I think I'll keep him around for awhile.'_


	2. Sick Day

_**Sick Day**_

 _ **A/N:**_ _This is just a brief thank you to_ _ **justicelover8478**_ _for favouriting this story and_ _ **Lura Elsworth**_ _for following it. I'm happy to see that you're enjoying the story._

* * *

 _Timeline: Early February, a month after Tedachi starts his job._

"…And these, need to be hung along the main path," One of the older maids said, motioning to a container of fairy lights.

"But…The party's not for another few days," Tedachi pointed out.

"I _know_ that. But we need to get them out and make sure they work," She explained with an annoyed huff.

' _Sorry I asked…'_ He thought, moving to pick up the tote.

"And when you're done with that, you can help Natsumi polish the china for the event."

"Yes Ma'am," Tedachi sighed, quickly making his way out of the storage shed he and the other maid had been digging through. _'Man, these Main House dinners are a pain in the ass. And it's messed up my whole schedule. I guess I have to wait to ask Akito about adding more house plants now….'_ He contemplated, balancing the box under one arm as he slid open one of the backdoors to the house. _'I can't believe I really have to unstring these fucking lights. If it's a dinner, than why am I not_ _ **cooking**_ _or something? Akito_ _ **knows**_ _I can cook. She's never complained about my dinners. Then again, she's only had three…'_

"I changed my mind about this, remember?" Akito said, her voice cutting through his thoughts as he turned a corner.

"But we already…" The head chef started.

"I know, you ordered the ingredients already. Just use them to make lunch for the staff. I decided that something with fish would work better," Akito explained.

"Actually, I decided that," Tedachi pointed out as he stepped into the kitchen. "Remember? I told you so when you were drafting out the menu."

"Yes, I _remember_ ," Akito muttered. "And then you got in my way!"

"I just thought you needed some help is all. You looked a little lost."

"I was _fine_. I know how to make up a menu!"

"Not for other people," The chef shrugged. "The first draft you gave me was all stuff _you_ liked."

"And?"

"You need variety when cooking for other people," Tedachi informed her. "You should find out what they like and present it. It makes it seem like you're putting in extra effort to make sure they'll be able to have a good time and expect food they can eat."

" _Whatever_ ," Akito snapped, taking her hand to her head and rubbing at her temples.

"Something wrong?"

"No. This is just giving me a headache. I think I need to…" She started as she picked up a binder, trailing off as she stumbled, quickly leaning against the wall for support. _'What is the matter with me?!'_ She asked herself, ignoring the concerned looks from both of her staff members as she spoke again,

"I'm going to go work on…the…" She trailed off again as her mind clouded over. She then forgot everything she was _supposed_ to be doing, nothing in her thoughts but the pain she felt _all over_ her body. She had woken up feeling achy and irritable with a horrible headache that she attributed to stress, as the dinner, combined with a recent business proposal had her working around the clock to make sure each would be straightened out and addressed at the right times.

"Akito?" Tedachi asked cautiously, moving around the counter as her steps faltered. "Are you…?" He barely got the second word out before he rushed to her side and caught her shortly before she hit the floor. He waited a minute, stayed still in case she decided to get up or move, gently sweeping her up when she simply remained still.

"I'm going to take her upstairs," He announced, quickly forgetting about the box of lights and leaving the other man half-dumbfounded as he watched him head out and upstairs.

' _Hmm…She really is as light as she looks,'_ He thought, easily making his way up the stairs and then pausing at the door of her room, getting a strange look from one of the other maids as she passed by.

"What happened?" She asked.

"She fainted in the kitchen. Probably from stress. Can you get the door for me? I figured it would be best to just put her to bed," Tedachi explained, giving the woman a grateful smile when she slid the door open. Once inside the room, he carefully shut it with his foot and then moved to gently lay Akito on her bed, raising an eyebrow at the noticeable flush on her skin, eyes widening slightly when, out of habit, he placed the back of his hand on her forehead.

' _She's burning up! No_ _ **wonder**_ _she's looked so awful today. She's so stubborn she was probably fighting it all day. With a fever like that, it's probably better if she stays in bed,'_ He decided with a frown as he turned and made his way over to her closet, quickly going for and rifling through the set of drawers resting underneath her hanging dresses, immediately closing the top two after catching fleeting glances of satin and black lace, which he promptly made himself ignore as he reached for the third one.

Meanwhile, things were slowly starting to make sense for Akito again as she slowly came to, giving a discontented groan as she blinked a few times.

' _Where am I?'_ She asked herself. It had been a long time since she'd had even the slightest hint of a fainting spell, and the idea aggravated her. She didn't _want_ to be that sickly girl again. There was too much to do, she thought as she caught a glimpse of purple out of the corner of her eyes when she forced herself to sit up.

' _Purple…Butterflies? I'm in my room. But, how? I remember being in the kitchen and then…'_ She thought as she took a hand to her aching head, soon letting out a gasp when she turned her gaze away from the wall. " _What_ are you _doing_?!" She snapped at Tedachi, a little more than angered at the idea of him going through her things _without_ permission. It was bad enough that the _female_ maids sometimes did so when they put laundry away. They denied it, but she knew they did, and even though they didn't steal anything, it still annoyed her.

"Looking for your pyjamas," He informed her as he finally picked out a set and stood.

"Why?"

"Because you have a fever and need to rest so it doesn't get worse. And you certainly can't sleep in those clothes."

"I'm _fine_ ," Akito protested through gritted teeth.

"No, you're not. You're getting sick," He informed her as he made his way over to the bed.

"I –"

"You've looked _awful_ all day. You barely ate _any_ of your breakfast even though they made your favourite foods, you're pale and flushed, _and_ your temperature is far too high. Plus, you've been running around for days on end with barely any sleep. It's no wonder you ended up with a fever! Now you are going to put these on and lie down for a bit," He said, handing over her pyjamas as soon as he finished speaking.

Akito simply frowned as she took them, far from amused at being lectured. But, she also knew that he was probably right. She _did_ feel unusually hot and probably should have taken it a little easier when she woke up feeling so awful.

"Fine…" She finally grumbled, carefully standing and moving to slip off the cardigan she had on over her dress, raising an eyebrow at Tedachi.

"Why are you still standing there?! Do you plan to _watch_ me?"

"No! Of course not," He muttered, quickly turning the other way and focusing on the trinkets and paperwork scattered on her desk.

It was only after she'd thrown him a warning glare behind his back and made _sure_ that he wouldn't turn back around before she started fiddling with her clothes, easily throwing everything but her underwear aside before slipping on the matching black top and pants.

"You can turn around now," She said as she finished with the last button, waiting while he turned and then looked her over.

"You know, those are actually kind of cute," He complimented once he caught the white butterfly stitched onto the pocket, getting a dismissive wave in response before she moved to sit on the bed.

"I need a blanket," She informed him.

"Right…" He murmured, quickly heading back to the closet and soon pulling a blue blanket from it, which he promptly draped over her, watching as she stared and pawed at it for a moment before her face twisted into a displeased frown and she gathered it up and threw it on the ground.

"Not that one! The _purple_ one with the butterflies on it!"

"Alright. I'm sorry," Tedachi sighed, moving to search for the _correct_ blanket, which he found on a higher shelf, smiling when, after he draped it over her, she briefly nuzzled it before giving a soft, suppressed yawn and snuggling into it as she laid down.

"You're going to…Call…Hatori?" She asked softly just before drifting to sleep.

"Wait, who's…Hatori…?" He asked, soon sighing when he realised he was talking to himself and then moving to pick up her discarded clothes and dump them in a laundry basket, heading out afterwards and easily catching Minori's attention. He quickly relayed the story to her and then asked,

"She told me to call someone named Hatori. Who is that?"

"Oh, he's the family doctor and he's known Akito since she was born. If she's getting sick, you _should_ call him, he'll be able to tell us what's wrong and how to deal with it. Akito can get pretty nasty when she doesn't feel well," Minori warned and Tedachi nodded in understanding before heading off to make the necessary call.

After being informed that Hatori had other appointments and wouldn't be over for another hour and a half, Tedachi contemplated his options and headed into the kitchen, easily brushing the cook aside as he moved around and threw together a decent batch of soup, figuring it would help a little, especially since she had skipped lunch. Once it was finished, he smiled at the result and headed up the stairs, a part of him hesitant about waking her, but he simply pushed the idea away, knowing this was for her own good.

"Akito?" He said gently, carefully running a hand up and down her back and getting a discontented noise in response as she rolled over from her stomach to her side. "Come on, you need to get up," He urged as he nudged her, holding back a smile at the whimper she gave as she forced herself to sit up.

" _What_?!" She snapped.

"I made you something to eat."

"I'm not hungry."

"It's just some miso soup. I'm sure you can handle it."

Akito raised an eyebrow at the mentioned soup when he handed over a purple mug. "Why is it in a coffee mug?" She asked.

"So I didn't have to fiddle with a tray. And now you can just drink it," Tedachi explained, moving to sit on the floor by her bed.

She gave him a quick glance and then shrugged as she carefully brought the cup to her lips and hesitantly started to drink, eyes widening slightly when she caught the taste.

"Good?" Tedachi teased, holding in a laugh when she promptly looked away. "So…What's with the butterflies?"

"Hm? Oh…They're kind of…my theme," Akito admitted, taking another careful sip as she finished speaking. "I went through a lot these past few years and they represent all the changes I've been through."

He nodded, turned towards the nightstand. "What's this?" He asked, carefully picking up a book and turning it over to read the back.

"One of my friends wrote that."

"I didn't think _you_ would be into romance books."

"I'm not…normally. But he begged me to read it and it's not that bad of a story. I wanted to finish it today, but that's not going to happen."

"Why? You're going to need _something_ to do later."

"I tried reading at breakfast. All the words blurred together and made my head hurt."

"Hmm…" He mused, quickly flipping through a few pages. "You only have a few more chapters to go. If you want, I could read them to you."

"Why would you want to do that?"

Tedachi shrugged. "I just thought I'd offer. It IS my job to serve you, after all. And you seem really annoyed about not being able to finish it."

Akito didn't respond. Instead, she carefully traced the rim of the half-empty mug as she contemplated her options, looking up when he spoke again.

"I called Hatori, by the way. He said he'd be here in an hour and half or so…" He glanced at his watch. "An hour ago."

"It took you _that_ long to make this?" She said of the soup.

"Not really, it took me longer to work my way around the kitchen and find the ingredients."

She gave a small nod, took a final sip and set the empty mug on her nightstand before ordering, "You can read to me. I want to finish the story."

"Oh, alright," Tedachi shrugged and waited while she shifted, lying so that her head rested near his shoulder, so she could look over it while he read, trying her best to follow along.

"Wait, no he _didn't_ ," She gasped, quickly sitting up and looking over the page again when he read over a part about the main male character actively _cheating_ on his woman.

"Apparently he did," Tedachi said with a small laugh, recoiling back when she reached over, snatched the book out of his hands and chucked it across the room.

"That _bastard_ ," She seethed, hands fisted in her blanket as old memories tried to plague her.

"Hey, it's just a book," He sighed, standing to retrieve it and then taking his place once again. "Should I go on, or…?"

"Yes. I want to know how she handles it."

He gave her a nod and then started again, smiling at her facial expressions and intent eyes, a part of him secretly finding it _cute_ how she got so in to the story, only looking up when a knock came at the door.

"Akito?" Hatori asked, raising an eyebrow at the scene in front of him as Akito sat up, slightly annoyed at being interrupted near the end of the story.

"Oh, hello," Tedachi greeted as he stood. "I'm Tedachi. I called you earlier?"

"Right," Hatori nodded, taking the hand he held out and giving it a firm shake. "So, what's going on with her this time?"

"I'm not entirely sure, all I know is that I caught her when she fainted in the kitchen, brought her up here and found out that she had a pretty decent fever."

Hatori simply nodded before turning to Akito, "Anything else I should know?"

Akito blinked at him and then turned to her feet, shuffling them under the blanket as she wrapped her arms around her knees.

" _Akito_ ," Hatori warned, knowing that sometimes, she needed a push or two to admit anything that was ailing her. In the past, she made _herself_ sick. She let her emotions get to and consume her in such a way it affected her health and she would constantly claim to be sick even when nothing was truly wrong. Once the curse broke and she managed to straighten her life out, she became a different person, and got sick far less often. The problem was, when she _did_ become sick, she tried too hard to fight it, thinking she had far better things to do nowadays than lie in bed.

"It _hurts_ ," She finally admitted. "All over. And I have a headache, my throat hurts…And I'm _tired_."

"Hmm…" Hatori mused, heading over to her bedside while Tedachi made a move to leave. "Stay," He ordered. "I may need your help."

' _Um…Alright?'_ Tedachi thought with a raised eyebrow, watching as the doctor took his hand to Akito's forehead and frowned before moving to dig through his black, medical bag.

"Open," Hatori ordered, gently sticking a thermometer in her mouth when she obeyed.

"Thirty-Nine point one," He read once it beeped, quickly shaking his head. "Well, you definitely have a fever, and a high one too," He mused, quickly digging through the bag again and pulling a stethoscope from it.

At this point, Tedachi politely turned while Hatori leaned over and started fiddling with the buttons on Akito's top, pressing the stethoscope to her chest soon after, pausing when she coughed and then giving her a sympathetic smile while she adjusted the buttons.

"The good news is you're not congested."

"How do you know that?" Tedachi asked out of curiosity.

"She has a dry cough," Hatori explained with a shrug, turning back to Akito. "And your breathing is fine, but the rest of your symptoms line up with the bug that's been going around the house," He explained. "For now, I'm going to give you an injection, it should help with your symptoms and suppress your fever. But, you will need to take care of yourself."  
"But that means…" Akito started to protest.

"…You have to _stay_ in bed and relax. All of your work will be put on hold until further notice. For now, you need to focus on getting better," Hatori ordered as he gathered the proper tools for administering the injection.

" _NO_ ," Akito snapped in protest after catching the sight of the needle.

"Akito –"

"NO!" She practically screamed, quickly recoiling back into her pillows. She _hated_ needles. Always had.

Hatori sighed, he should have known this wasn't going to be easy. He and Kureno _always_ had ended up fighting with her to get her to _stay still_ whenever he had to give her any sort of injection. He had reverted to giving her only oral medicine for as many cases as possible. But on the off-chance she needed some kind of shot, it was far from easy.

"Can I help?" Tedachi offered. "I could…Um…What if I held your hand?" He blurted out, getting confused looks from both Akito and Hatori before she looked down and started fiddling with her blanket.

"I…Guess that _might_ be okay," She muttered. It always seemed to help when someone did hold her, or even just assure her she was alright. Not that she would ever let anyone know that.

"You can try," Hatori sighed, watching as the other man came over and hesitantly climbed up onto her bed, carefully sitting next to her as she tentatively presented the doctor with her arm, feeling instead of watching as he pushed her sleeve up and properly cleansed the spot with rubbing alcohol.

Akito shot Tedachi a look, something between fear and a warning, hesitating as she took the hand he offered and squeezing it when she felt the needle make contact with her arm.

' _Well…This is interesting,'_ Tedachi thought. _'She always seems to put up this front of being tough and standoffish…Probably as a way of saving face. She has told me she's a woman in a man's role and world…But this, this is_ _ **different**_ _. And kind of cute. It's not unsurprising though. She does seem to be very insistent on not doing things she hates. I just never thought one of those things would be getting shots.'_

"Alright, you're done for now," Hatori sighed, gathering up his things as Akito promptly pulled her hand out of Tedachi's. "You, come with me," He said, motioning the other man out.

"Wait…Tedachi…" Akito called and he turned in the doorway. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," He replied with a smile, easily shutting the door behind him and then turning to Hatori.

"She should be alright for now, but you and the other maids will _need_ to watch her. I didn't want to tell her this, but if she _does_ have this flu bug, it is libel to get worse. Not to say it can't be cured, but it does mean she'll be down for about a week or so. And she will _not_ be happy about it. Best case scenario is that this will just turn out to be a bad cold brought on by stress. I know she's been overworking herself lately. Anyway, call me if you need _anything_."

"Yes, Sir. Thank you," Tedachi said with a polite bow, giving one last glance to the door, where, behind it, Akito yawned and then decided to settle down, figuring it was probably best to do as she was told for the time being. Mainly because she didn't want or need another lecture and knew that the faster she got better, the quicker she could get back to finishing the dinner party plans.

* * *

Fortunately, things _did_ look up the following day. Akito woke up feeling well enough to at least delve into a few details here and there and make a few necessary phone calls. She even ended up getting part of her appetite back and was willing to actually eat her dinner.

"Is she doing any better?" Tedachi asked Minori as he portioned out breakfast plates a day later.

"Yes. Well, a little bit. She was up and about yesterday, but was working on a little at a time. It wasn't like a few days ago. That reminds me, you _have_ to hurry up and get to testing those lights. Kaoru is getting rather impatient about it."

"I _will_. Don't worry. It's kind of hard to find time to do that when I end up dealing with a sick Akito and then have a day off," Tedachi explained, smiling at the result as he finished off the food tray. "But, I'll start on it once I deliver this, I promise."

Minori gave him a nod in approval as he headed out and up the stairs.

"Akito?" He asked once he stopped in front of her door, carefully shifting the tray over to one hand to knock, frowning at the lack of response. He then set the tray on the floor and tried two more times, finally giving up and sighing when it was clear she wasn't going to answer. "I'm coming in," He warned, sliding open the door and then carefully picking up the tray before entering.

' _Wait…Where is she?'_ He thought, taking a moment to look around the empty room before setting the food on her desk. _'I know she's not around the house…At least I don't_ _ **think**_ _she is. It's only eight-fifteen, and she's never up before now. Maybe she's…Huh?'_ He mused, his thoughts trailing off when he finally caught the faint light shining under the bathroom door.

"Akito?" He called, carefully rapping on the door and then sliding it open when he got no response, eyes widening when he found her kneeling on the floor, shaking with her arms crossed over her chest as she forced herself to take deep breaths, only looking up when he stepped in.

"Tedachi?" She gasped out, meeting his curious, concerned gaze with one of distress.

"Aki—"

"I have to throw up again," She interrupted, body tensing as she leaned over and did just that.

' _Wait…_ _ **again**_ _?!'_ He held back a gasp of his own and immediately rushed to her side, gently running a hand over her back and whispering soft reassurances until she finished and burst into tears. Before he could even open his mouth to speak, she was throwing herself at him, her hands fisted in the fabric of his shirt as she sobbed unashamedly.

' _I…Don't know what to do here…'_ He thought, hesitantly raising his hand and gently, almost cautiously running it over her hair. He had _never_ seen Akito cry, and had only seen her on the verge of it _once_ when she dragged him out to help her pick out dresses and had trouble finding anything that fit. He was at a complete loss at how to handle it, starting with the fact that he didn't even know _why_ she was crying. Was it because she was stuck here with her head in the toilet? Was it just that she felt disgusting all over? Or was she mad at herself for even letting this happen to her? No matter the reason, he admitted to himself that this was rather frightening territory.

He thought to say something, anything, but didn't get a chance as she abruptly pulled away from him and retched again. He then gave her a sympathetic look and a sigh as he stood and left, soon coming back and draping her blanket around her shoulders.

"Akito, how long have you been in here?" He asked.

"I think the clock said…Seven forty-ish?" She guessed, hands clutching the blanket, drawing it further around her body.

"And you've gotten sick how many times?"

"Three…" She mused, quickly trailing off before gasping, "Make that…four."

"Stay here. I'm going to call Hatori."

"Like I could go _anywhere_!" Akito snapped before groaning, "Fucking _idiot…_ "

Tedachi simply rolled his eyes at her declaration as he left, grabbing the tray as he headed back downstairs.

"That's still full," Minori observed when he walked past her.

"She's not going to be eating anytime soon," Tedachi informed her as he handed it over. "Apparently she's spent the past half hour on the bathroom floor."

"Wait, _what_?"

He nodded. "She wasn't as better as she thought, it seemed," He said with a sigh, leaving her with the tray as he walked off to make the necessary phone call to Hatori, who said he would be over as soon as he could, and then heading back upstairs to check on Akito after detouring to the kitchen.

"I brought you some water," He said when he reentered the bathroom, only to find her half-lying against the wall.

She didn't respond, only held out a pale hand and accepted the glass he gave her with grateful eyes. She did her best to hold it despite her trembling hands and took a delicate sip, waiting a moment to see if it would actually stay down before taking another and then glaring at him when he sat down.

"You can _leave_ now," She snapped.

"Not with you like this," Tedachi retorted.

"I can take care of _myself_ , thank you."

"Akito, if you could take care of yourself, you wouldn't be sitting in here right now."

She simply stared into her glass, tears pricking in her eyes as she started to realise that he was _right_. More than right, actually. If she had just listened to her body when it was telling her to rest, it wouldn't have completely rebelled against her and left her sitting where she was feeling pathetic and utterly disgusting.

"Sorry," He muttered after catching the sting in her eyes, a long silence falling before Akito admitted,

"I _hate_ this. I feel disgusting _all over_. Everything hurts and I…I just…" She stopped, her words caught in her throat as she started to cry all over again, her sobs soon turning into a strangled groan as she tried and failed to force back down the bile in her throat, and ended up leaning over the toilet again with Tedachi's hand on her back and a stream of tears running down her face. Once she was done, he stood to fill her glass again and handed it back to her.

' _I wish there was something else I could do. She's just_ _ **so**_ _miserable…But all I seem to be able to do is sit here and…wait a minute!'_ Tedachi thought, quickly sitting up from his slouched position. "Akito, come here," He ordered, holding his arms out.

She gave him a curious look, but did as she was told, letting him guide her into his lap, one hand resting on his shoulder while her head rested in the crook of the other. He carefully readjusted her blanket, making sure she was comfortable as he listened to her now soft cries and wrapped an arm around her, soon moving his hand to her lower back, where he felt around for a bit before settling on a spot.

"What…are you doing?" She said with a startled gasp.

"It's something my mother used to do for me when I was a kid. It should help ease some of your stomach pain," He explained.

Akito seemed satisfied with the answer, as, she simply laid her head back in its spot and didn't protest when he continued. Instead, her soft sobs finally subsided and she curled even farther into him, reveling the feeling of his warmth. It had been awhile since anyone had held her, and though she would never admit it aloud, she _liked_ being held, especially when she wasn't feeling well. Something about the presence of another person soothed her, and made her feel like she wasn't alone.

Tedachi gave a soft smile as she settled into him, thinking, _'This is weird…Interesting, but weird…I_ _ **never**_ _would have thought she could get like this. Well, I guess everyone has a soft side, but it's still a little strange. Not that it's bad…It's just…different.'_ He decided, holding back a laugh at her content sigh and then looking up when Hatori knocked on the doorframe, only entering when Tedachi gave him a nod of acknowledgment.

"Sorry. I know this probably seems strange," Tedachi said, watching the other man dig through his medical bag.

"Not at all," Hatori shrugged. "She tends to get rather clingy and needy when she's sick, especially when it gets bad. Watch," He ordered, moving to motion Akito over to him. "Come here," He said, watching and waiting while she carefully forced herself up with a groan and crawled over into _his_ lap.

She let him adjust her blanket as she carefully laid against him, reluctantly opening her mouth when he held the thermometer out to her.

"What happened, exactly?"

"I was off yesterday, so I asked Minori about how Akito was doing and she said she thought she was doing better and had actually gotten up and done a little bit of work and eaten last night. So, I brought her breakfast tray up around eight-fifteen and found her," He motioned toward Akito. "Here on the floor, whining that she had to throw up, and then she did and we've been here ever since. Though, she told me she woke up around seven-forty."

"What woke you up?" Hatori asked his patient as he carefully took the thermometer from her.

"I was startled awake," Akito admitted weakly. "My stomach hurt and I felt sick."

"Hmm…" Hatori nodded. "Thirty-nine point six. Your fever shot back up horribly. How many times did you get sick this morning?"

"Five," Tedachi answered for her.

Hatori sighed. "Akito, I hate to tell you this, but it seems you caught that flu bug that's been going around the house. You're going to be in bed for a few more days and will probably throw up at least a few more times. It's one of the major symptoms."

Unable to come up with a viable response, Akito groaned.

"Tedachi, can you do me a favour?"

"Sure," Tedachi replied.

"Downstairs in one of the cabinets should be a blue tumbler with butterflies on it. It has a top and a straw. Can you get it for me?"

"Um…Sure?" Tedachi said with a raised eyebrow, a little unnerved by the request. However, he figured Hatori knew what he was talking about and did as he was told, quickly bringing it back and then watching while the doctor reached over with one hand and pulled a bottle from his bag, quickly and carefully pouring some sort of blue liquid into the cup before securing it and presenting it to Akito.

"Drink," He ordered.

She gave him a quick glance, but did as she was told, ignoring the curious look Tedachi gave her.

"That's a kids' cup," He pointed out.

"It's her sick cup," Hatori explained. "It's easier to use than a glass when she's too weak to sit up all the way. This way she's not uncomfortable or having a glass shoved at her when she doesn't want it. She actually demanded a purple one, but I couldn't find one. So, we settled for this."

Tedachi nodded the same moment Akito handed the cup back over, both of them watching as Hatori shook it to verify it was empty.

"Now, you should know that you're going be down for a few days. And you will _need_ to _stay_ down. That means you sit and rest and relax. So, for now, you're going back to bed. Alright?"

Akito didn't respond, just gave a defeated nod and turned to Tedachi with her arms out, giving a small, amused smile when he took the hint and gently lifted her up, taking her from Hatori's lap and carrying her back to her bed, being careful not to make any sudden movements.

"Comfortable?" He asked as he adjusted her blankets.

She gave a weak nod in response and snuggled further into the blanket while he followed the doctor out the door.

"Unfortunately, this is not something I can administer medicine for," Hatori sighed. "Mainly for fear of her throwing it back up, which she _has_ done before. We're just going to have to let it work its way out of her system. There are a few things you _can_ do though." He reached into his bag, took out a notebook and began to write. "Make sure she eats something later, even just a little bit. Light soup, plain rice and bananas work best at first. After she starts keeping that down, you can try other things, like applesauce and toast. I'm also going to give you this," He explained, handing over the bottle he had been using earlier.

"What is this?" Tedachi asked.

"A pediatric electrolyte. I know what you're thinking and it _does_ work for adults. Plus, it's safer for her than sports or energy drinks. Give it to her every twenty minutes or so. It will help with fluid replacement. In fact…" He paused, rifled through the bag again. "I'll give you two of them. She _only_ drinks the red one and the blue one. Sometimes we can get her to take the orange one, but only if we're out of those two and can convince her so."

' _Picky, picky…'_ Tedachi thought with a quick headshake.

"I'll come back to check on her awhile later, but for now, I'm sure you can handle it. You've been doing well enough so far."

"Right. Thanks…"

Hatori gave a curt nod and headed downstairs with the other man following, the latter heading to the kitchen while the former headed out. After placing both drinks in the fridge, Tedachi rushed off to find Minori and a few of the older maids and quickly informed them of the situation, heading back up to Akito afterwards.

"Some of the girls are going to set you a bath," He informed her, carefully helping her sit up. "Do you mind if I pick out your pyjamas?"

Akito responded with a light shake of her head, carefully clutching her blanket and observing him as he stood and crossed over to her closet, quickly and quietly rifling through a few drawers before deciding on a purple set and handing them over.

"Are these okay?" He asked.

"It's the middle of winter and you want me to wear a _tank top_?" She asked, picking up the mentioned lavender garment, which was printed with three small hearts meant to settle by her left breast.

"It's to keep you cool. I _know_ you must be overheated from your fever. But, I can get you a cardigan if you're concerned about it."

" _No._ I'll be fine."

"Good. Now, come on," He offered, holding his hand out.

Akito raised an eyebrow and hesitantly took the hand, letting him carefully help her up and then lead her downstairs, where he handed her off to one of the older women, rushing back upstairs afterward to quickly strip the bed and replace the sheets, quickly throwing the old ones _and_ her blanket in the wash before heading off to the kitchen to prepare a quick meal while Akito sat, simply swirling the bathwater around with her hand.

"Can I get you anything?" One of the older maids asked, getting a sigh and shake of the head in response.

"God, you look _horrible_ ," A younger girl said as she entered and set down a series of towels.

Akito scowled at her comment, then, thinking quickly, she grabbed a wash basin from nearby, filled it and used what little strength she had to throw the water in her direction, smiling at the startled shriek she gave.

"You little _bitch_!" She snapped.

"Don't you dare speak to her like that," The older woman scolded. "As the head of the Sohma family she is to be shown only the utmost _respect_."

"But that water's _cold_."

"It's not cold, it's lukewarm because she _has a fever_. She's not feeling well right now and _you_ are not helping matters."

"I need more bubbles," Akito interrupted and the older maid shot the younger one a look that sent the girl off to dig through one of the cupboards nearby.

' _There's like six of them here! Why can't she be more specific?'_ The girl thought with a frown.

" _Hurry up_!" Akito demanded and the girl glowered as she came over and shoved a bottle at her.

" _Here_ ," She snapped.

Akito frowned, but took it and promptly poured the dark liquid in the bath, quickly swirling it around until she got a decent amount of bubbles, unaware of the young woman's eyes on her.

' _God, she's_ _ **tiny**_ _. This little thing is the head of a prestigious family? They tell me she's twenty-three, but she looks more like she's sixteen. Well, an underdeveloped sixteen. Her tits are small too…'_ She thought before quickly ducking out with the excuse that she had to get changed, soon being followed and told by the older woman that she was officially dismissed from bath duty, as she insisted on taking over herself and did just that, making sure Akito stayed in a relatively content mood before sending her back upstairs, where she frowned at her bed.

"Just in time," Tedachi commented at he stepped in with a food tray in hand.

"This isn't my blanket," Akito commented as she pawed at and then delicately lifted the blue blanket.

"Your blanket is in the wash," He informed her. "It was thrown in with your bedcovers. I thought you'd appreciate…"

"But…I want _my blanket_!" She whined, giving the blue fabric a defeat glance as she hung her head and started to cry.

"Oh, no. You are _not_ crying over a _blanket_. You'll have it back in a half hour, I promise. It had to be washed and dried on delicate, so it's taking awhile," Tedachi explained with a sigh, shifting the tray to one hand and gently setting the other on her back. "Get into bed," He urged, ignoring her protests while she did what she was told and then frowned when he adjusted the blue blanket after she had kicked it off.

"You actually…washed it on delicate?" She hesitantly asked while he set the tray across her lap.

"That's what Michiko told me to do," He said, speaking of the head maid.

"I'm not hungry," She said of the food.

"Please, try and eat a little bit. It's just some light soup, rice and a few banana slices. Hatori said it would help your stomach."

"I'm just going to throw it back up."

"If it happens, then so be it. Besides, it's better to have something _to_ throw up rather than puking up straight acid."

She gave him a disgusted look at the idea before carefully picking up the mug of soup.

"Even if you can't eat everything, I still expect you to drink _all_ of your drink. You need to keep your fluids up," He ordered as he made his way out the door.

Akito gave him a small nod in acknowledgement and set down the mug, exchanging it for the butterfly cup before beginning to slowly eat, pausing every so often to make sure it would stay down and then setting the tray on the floor when she couldn't eat anymore. She thought to lay down and try to sleep, but instead leaned back against the pillows, as the stubborn part of her _refused_ to take a nap without her favourite blanket. Granted, it was stupid, and she _had_ other blankets she'd slept with before, but she was sick, and in her mind, that meant she _needed_ the extra comfort and besides, she refused to give Tedachi the satisfaction of seeing her give in.

"Akito?" Tedachi asked a few minutes later as he rapped on the door, not waiting for an answer as he carefully opened it. "Look what I have!" He teased, smiling at her wide-eyed expression when he presented her with the purple blanket, quickly moving to replace the blue one with it.

"What's that?" She asked of the silver bowl he had set on her desk, raising an eyebrow when he didn't respond right away, only handed it to her.

"In case you get sick again and can't get up in time. I'm going to get a chair or something to set it on."

"Are you _sure_ you really want to deal with it if I do?"

"There's a reason I grabbed that one. It's stainless steel, so it's easy to clean. All I have to do is dump it out and then wash it," He explained as he picked up the discarded tray, noting that she _did_ eat a good handful of the food as he shifted it over and then lifted and shook her cup, giving a small, unnoticed nod when he found it empty.

' _Good. I'll have to fill this up again for later. I wonder…If I leave it in the fridge later…Could one of the girls could give it to her tonight after I leave at six?'_ He thought, making a move to leave and then turning back when Akito called his name.

"Tedachi…Can you…I mean…If it's not too much…Will you rub my back again?" She asked cautiously, quickly snuggling into the blanket once she finished speaking.

"Sure. Let me just take this downstairs," He replied, easily doing just that before heading back up and sitting on her bed, waiting while she settled her head in the crook of his shoulder and then wrapping his arm around her and carefully rubbing at her lower back until she drifted off to sleep, lingering for a bit afterwards and making sure she was comfortable before gently moving her back onto the bed so he could get up to straighten the room and complete a few of his chores, not getting very far with the list, as he ended up back in her room when she screamed for him an hour or so later after throwing up the contents of her breakfast.

"I _HATE THIS_ ," She screamed as she threw one of her pillows across the room after he got her settled back in bed. "And it's all _your_ fault!"

"How is it my fault?"

" _You_ made me eat!"

"You needed the nutrients," He explained as he handed her cup over and ordered, "Drink."

"You're a fucking bastard, you know that?"

"Yeah, yeah. I know," Tedachi sighed, thinking as he adjusted her pillows, _'I'm a horrible, rotten bastard for being concerned with your health. Wait…Come to think of it…Who else is going to put up with this? All of the girls seem to have disappeared…And I'm off tomorrow. Fuck. I should probably make some notes.'_

* * *

' _She better eat this. I hate having to cook. Especially for_ _ **her**_ _. Why does the damn chef have to be tied up with this dinner party nonsense?'_ One of the younger girls thought as she trudged up the stairs the following morning, frowning at the food tray she held, a little more than annoyed with the fact that _she_ had to cook breakfast the morning. She despised having to cook for Akito, who was always _**SO**_ picky about the way her food was prepared. Every time she cooked for her, it was met with ridiculous criticism. In fact, she was pretty sure the _only_ other person besides the head cook who could make her food and not hear a word out of her was Tedachi.

' _That man is something else entirely…'_ She thought as she slid open Akito's door. _'He_ _ **is**_ _kind of hot though. I know he's a little older, but there's no harm in trying, right?'_ She laughed at her own thought as she shifted the tray and moved to shake the smaller woman awake, rolling her eyes at the discontented groan she gave.

"Good morning," She said with a smile, soon frowning when she only got a glare in response and quickly presenting Akito with the food as soon as she sat up.

Once she was at least half-conscious, Akito glanced at her server and then the food, quickly frowning at it. _'I can't eat this! Just looking at it makes me nauseous. There's no way I can handle all of this if I could barely tolerate the rice I was given last night. Hell, it seems like the only thing I can keep down is the damn electrolyte,'_ She thought, scowling at the dishes and then up at her server.

" _What_?" The girl asked.

"I can't eat this."

"What do you mean you _can't_ eat it?! Do you know how much _work_ I put into that?! I even made those fucking rolled eggs with spinach."

"I'm _sick_ ," Akito snapped.

"And?"

"Even looking at this - " Akito said, pausing to pick up the glass of juice. "What is this?"

"Cranberry juice. They said it was…"

"And _where's_ my cup?"

"Um…In your hand?" The girl said, tilting her head in curiosity.

" _Not_ this one. The _blue one_. It has butterflies on it?" Akito informed her, quickly narrowing her eyes in annoyance at the lack of response she got. "Never mind. Just take this away."

" _No_. I _am not_ wasting good food because –" The younger girl started, soon gasping when the glass of juice was thrown in her face.

" _Don't_ you _dare_ disobey me. _Take it_."

"Fine," The maid scoffed, muttering as she took the tray, "Stupid bitch."

"Mito, What happened?" The head maid, Michiko, asked once her young colleague came down the stairs.

"She _refused_ the tray and threw her juice at me."

"Well, of course she refused it," The older woman said as she looked it over. "She _sick_. There's no way she can keep this down," She sighed. "Just put it away for now. And once you're done, I need you and Kaoru to go back upstairs. Send Akito down for a bath and wash her bed sheets while she's out of the room."

"Of course," Mito said, giving a polite bow out of courtesy and then scowling at the older woman's back once she left and quickly dropping the tray off in kitchen before heading _back_ up with the mentioned help in tow.

"What do you want _now_?" Akito snapped once the entered.

"I'm sorry, Miss," Kaoru bowed. "But we've been instructed to get you up for a bath."

"And take care of this," Mito added, moving to pull at the blanket, which Akito promptly pulled back.

" _No_. The blanket stays," She ordered.

"I was told to _wash it_. And that's what I am going to do," The younger girl resolved, quickly yanking it again and scoffing when it was pulled back, _again_.

"I. Said. _NO_." Akito snapped and the girl recoiled back after catching the tears brimming in her eyes. "I _need_ this! You can change the bed sheets, but don't you _dare_ touch this!" She ordered, quickly bringing her knees up to her chest and then lying her head on them.

"Where's Tedachi?" She whined.

"He's off today," Kaoru informed her. "So we—"

" _Leave_!" Akito practically screamed with a prominent scowl, moving to throw one of her butterfly-shaped pillows at her and then returning to her former position, gently nuzzling her blanket as she silently started to cry.

"Yes Miss," The maid bowed and left, taking Mito out with her.

" _Great_ ," Mito huffed. "Now what?"

"You go back to your chores. I have an idea," Kaoru sighed.

* * *

An hour or so later, Akito ended up waking after a brief nap to someone gently shaking her. She rolled over at first, deciding to ignore it, as her body told her to sleep, but soon sat up with a groan when it persisted, turning to her offender with narrowed eyes that quickly widened in surprise.

" _Tedachi_?" She asked.

"Hi, Sleepy," He teased, carefully running a hand over her hair. "How are you feeling this morning? Any trouble last night?"

"Why are you here?" Akito inquired, quickly taking her cup when he held it out.

"Mito called me in to take care of you. She basically said I seemed to be the only one who could deal with you. Now, answer my questions."

"I'm _sick_ , obviously. And I threw up once last night around two AM. But, I've been okay since then."

"Good. After you finish that I need you to go downstairs and take a bath while I wash your bed sheets. Alright?"

"What about my blanket?"

"I washed that yesterday, so it should be fine. I'll fold it up and leave it on your desk chair," Tedachi assured, offering his hand and then smiling when she took it and let him help her up. "There's some fresh pyjamas sitting on your desk."

"Thanks," Akito murmured, easily picking them up and heading out while he quickly stripped the bed and took the sheets downstairs, approaching the girls as they stood in the kitchen going over their chore lists.

"So, what exactly is going on?" He asked, having not bothered when he first came in. In fact, he had outright ignored them as he made his way to the fridge and gabbed Akito's cup before heading upstairs.

"She's being a _brat_ ," Mito scoffed.  
"She refused her breakfast tray," Kaoru explained. "And then she started _crying_ when we told her we had to wash her blanket. But not before she asked for you specifically."

"Hmm…." Tedachi mused, moving to observe the untouched tray still sitting on the counter. "This it?"

"Yes. And I worked _so hard_ on it only to have her reject it completely. She even threw her juice in my face," Mito complained.

"Because she can't have juice. Or any of this. She's _sick_. The kind of sick that's making her throw her food back up. Her choices are limited to light soup, rice, bananas, water, and an electrolyte drink. And she has enough trouble keeping that down."

"Well, how was _I_ supposed to know that? I'm her maid. Not a doctor."

"I _left_ notes," He snapped, quickly picking up a notebook from the counter and flipping a page. "See? I even wrote down what foods she could eat and how to serve them."

"Does it matter?"

He sighed. " _Yes_. For example, her soup goes in a coffee mug so she can sip at it. And her drink goes in this," He picked up the blue tumbler from where he had set it. "It's her sick cup and far easier for her to handle when she's weak and run down."

"It's like she's a kid."

" _Exactly_ ," Tedachi said. "You have to treat her like a child. Listen to her when she cries, coax her into eating her food, rub her back and reassure her when she throws up, that sort of thing. And sometimes you just have to sit her down and make her do what she's told while she grumbles and calls you a rotten bastard."

"And you're _not_ offended by that?"

"Not really. Because it's not _me_ she's mad at. It's the situation. She's angry because she's sick and feels gross and can't do anything about it but let it work its way out of her system. She _wants_ to be up and about, but is stuck in bed and the thought pisses her off. But she _does_ appreciate what I'm doing for her."

"Then you can keep doing it, because I'm _done_ ," Mito snapped.

"Very well then. But, know that since you called me in to take care of Akito that is _exactly_ what I'm going to do. Do not come asking me for favours or to pick up extra chores," He informed them rather harshly, a little more than annoyed at the younger girl's ignorance and blatant lack of sympathy for Akito's situation. She was laid up in bed sick, and Mito acted as if nothing was wrong and didn't even _think_ to ask about how to handle her.

' _That girl pisses me off…'_ He thought awhile later as he carefully hovered over the cooker. _'Apparently she was pushed into this position…And I know she's young and has a lot to learn, but she could at least try a little harder_ _ **to**_ _learn.'_ He then sighed as he pulled the small pot off the burner and promptly poured its contents into a purple mug, setting it and her cup on a new tray before grabbing it and heading upstairs to present it to Akito, who was less than amused at being woken up again, but _did_ accept the food after looking it over.

"You know the drill," He said. "Eat what you can, but you…"  
"Need to drink all of the water?" She guessed.

"Right," He nodded and she rolled her eyes, muttering something about him being good for nothing before carefully picking up her rice bowl, not noticing the small smile he gave as he left for awhile, only to be called back a little over two hours later.

"I don't know how he puts up with this," The second of the younger girls muttered to herself, balancing a laundry basket on her hip and cringing at the scene beyond the cracked door as she watched Tedachi gently running a hand along Akito's back and whispering soft reassurances _while_ helping to hold up the silver bowl that _he_ , personally took away once he was sure she was done with it for the moment. Of course, by that time, the girl had resolved to wait a few minutes, coming back to an equally strange scene of her resting _on_ him in her bed while he carefully rubbed at her lower back.

"What are you doing?" She asked.

"Oh, this?" He said, gently applying more pressure to the spot and continuing when Akito didn't react. "It's a trick my mother used to use on me as a kid. She would rub right in the middle here whenever I had stomach problems and it would ease the pain. It works really well for her."

"What if she throws up on you?"

He shrugged. "I guess I'll figure that out when it happens. Hey, Sayuri, when you're done with that, can you do me a favour?"

"I…guess?" Sayuri said with a raised eyebrow.

"Go downstairs and fill this with her electrolyte," Tedachi requested, using his free hand to gesture towards the cup sitting on her nightstand and then taking that hand and carefully running it over Akito's hair, playing with one of her long fringe pieces as he asked, "Akito? What flavour do you want?"

Akito glanced up at him as she gave it a brief thought, tugging her blanket up as she muttered, "Blue."

"Blue," He repeated.

"Okay. Blue is _not_ a flavour," Sayuri scoffed as she snatched up the tumbler.

"Please, just do what I ask."

The girl gave an annoyed huff, but did as she was told, scurrying off with the empty cup and returning with it a few minutes later, saying nothing as she handed it over and got a grateful look and nod in response from Tedachi, who presented it to Akito.

Akito gave him another quick glance and then threw one at the cup before sitting up slightly, recoiling back and snatching it from him when she caught a distinct smell, giving it another quick sniff before handing it back.

"There's _alcohol_ in this," She half-whined as she laid back down.

"Wait, _what_?" He said, quickly taking it and shifting so he could remove the lid. He took a minute to stare at the blue liquid inside that _looked_ like her electrolyte drink, but did indeed carry the distinct scent of liquor. He then sighed as he twisted it shut and carefully moved to get up, promising Akito that he'd be back as he headed downstairs and sought out Sayuri, who was fiddling with her mobile in the hall.

"Come with me," He ordered, not waiting for an answer as he grabbed her wrist and half-dragged her into the kitchen.

"What is this?" She asked as she was whipped into the kitchen. "You know, this isn't like you at all…Normally you're _so_ calm…But, I think I like it when you get…"

"Whatis _this_?" Tedachi interrupted, holding the cup out to her.

"Akito's butterfly cup?"

" _No_. What's _in_ it? It smells like _alcohol_. You're lucky she caught the smell of it, or I'd have _you_ sitting next to her when she threw it back up. _What_ were you thinking?"

"She _told_ me she wanted the blue…whatever it is."

"It's a pediatric electrolyte that _Hatori_ gave her to keep her hydrated," He explained as he yanked open the refrigerator and snatched up the drink in question. " _This_."

"Isn't this the shit you give _kids_?" Sayuri asked when she took it.

"Adults can take it too. Now, _what_ did you put in here if it wasn't this?"

She didn't answer. Instead, she waved him aside and easily reached into the fridge and pulled out _another_ bottle of blue liquid, though this one was glass. "This. It was the only blue thing I could find."

Tedachi carefully took it from her and turned it over a few times before he realised what it was. "This is that cocktail she bought for the dinner party. She said she wanted them to make a test-batch before the actual event. How the _hell_ did you mix these up?"

"Because I don't know what that other stuff _is_. I went in looking for a blue liquid. That was it."

He sighed, moved to carefully dump out the cup and wash it before pouring in the _correct_ drink.

"Be more careful next time. And if you're not sure, ask before you poison her," He scolded, cringing when he heard Akito screaming for him and sighing again as he thought, _'She's probably sick again…'_

' _I don't get it…'_ Sayuri thought as she watched him rush off. _'It's not like they're close or anything. He works for her just like I do. Yet, he's putting all the extra effort into looking after her and making sure she gets better…Man, he's such a suck-up.'_

* * *

"Unfortunately, your fever is holding, but from what I understand, you _are_ vomiting less," Hatori observed that evening as he looked over a thermometer. "Which means you're holding down your food better."

"I've been able to reduce the amount of electrolyte she's taking," Tedachi added as he stepped in and handed over her cup, which was filled with water.

"That's a good sign. I means her body is holding in the nutrients she needs. It also means I won't have to give you any extra."

"But we're out of the _blue_ one," Akito whined.

"You still have the red one left. And it only keeps for a few days. Let's see if you can get through that before we open a new bottle," Tedachi said with a sigh, ignoring the glare she gave him.

"Anyway, I'm done here," Hatori said, gathering his things and turning to Tedachi. "I'll probably come by tomorrow afternoon, but I won't make any promises. She's well enough now that I don't have to hover around. And you seem to be doing a good job looking after her."

"The others don't seem to want to," Tedachi shrugged, following when Hatori motioned him out.

"I'm sure you know by now that Akito has had _a lot_ of things happen to her over the years…"

"…I don't know details but…"

"All you need to know is that it affected her mental state horribly, to the point where she would let her emotions get to her and she would end up making herself physically sick. Though, nothing was wrong with her most of the time. The maids knew this, so they often didn't bother too much, and when she was really sick, most of the care fell to me. I could rely on them to deliver food on time, and check minor things, but for the most part she was looked after by one of my cousins. _He_ was the one who stayed and sat with her the way you are now. The other girls just…I don't know. They don't seem to want to more than their basic job, and I guess it _is_ what they were trained to do, but…"

"You know that Akito needs more than that when she's sick. Something I'm finding out really quick."

"A lot of them whisper and say she's being coddled and treated like a child, but it's the only way to get her to sit down and do what she needs to do to _get better_. She's too stubborn to do it on her own. And I guess they don't seem to understand that if you stay with her, and keep her happy then she gets better faster and the faster she gets better, the less of a burden she'll be to them. I hate to put it that way, but…"

"That _is_ what they're behaving like. Especially the two younger ones. And I guess part of it is because of this big party and…"

"Wait," Hatori interrupted. "They haven't cancelled that?"

"Not as far as I know. Why?" Tedachi asked.

"I don't know how they can go through with it when she's sick."  
"Well, she hasn't told them to cancel. Probably because her mind is more focused on throwing pillows at me for no reason."

"In any case, you might want to…"

" _Hatori_! I didn't know you were going to be here," Ayame's voice interrupted as he bounded up the stairs. "Is everything alright with Akito? I would hate to have to waste a perfectly good party dress," He said, presenting them with a clear-topped box containing a new, custom-made, navy party dress.

"Well…Actually…" Hatori stuttered, thrusting a hand in his hair as he tried to figure out what to say. He was rarely at a loss for words, but also wasn't sure if he really wanted to tell his friend the truth, as he feared the reaction.

"She's _sick_ ," Tedachi interjected. "She's been in bed for two straight days now."

The former snake's face immediately fell. " _What_?! Well, that just can't be true, can it? Not when she's worked so hard on this for the past month! Oh, dear! The poor thing must be devastated…Unless…Will she be better in time for dinner tomorrow? There's always…"

"No. Probably not," Hatori informed him. "And I'd rather not risk it with her condition."

"Can I at least _see_ her?"

"I don't think that –" Tedachi started, moving to stop the taller man from opening the door and sighing when he _just_ missed grabbing his hand.

"Akito!" Ayame called as he sauntered in, not hearing the distinct growl he got in response as she turned to glare at him.

' _Great…Who the fuck let you in here?!'_ She thought with a scowl, quickly shoving his hand away when he touched her forehead. "Your hand is _COLD_!" She snapped.

"My, my. You're burning up."

"Thirty-nine point five," She grumbled, attempted to ignore him and snuggled into her blanket.

"Well, this is no good. You…And what's this?"

"For me to throw up in," She informed him as she forced herself up, frowning when he simply dropped the empty bowl.

"But, you're getting better right? You _have to_! You spent so much time planning this wonderful party it would be a shame for you to miss it! Of course, I wouldn't mind filling in if you did, but it would still be horrible! What would all those business men say? Would they feel sorry for you? Utter words about their absent hostess? Oh, if only we…"

The longer he went on, the angrier Akito became. Of _course_ she wanted to attend her dinner party and was _beyond pissed_ that she couldn't cancel because too much work had been done already. Of all the times for her to get horribly sick, it had to be _right before something important_. The mere thought aggravated her. She had put so much time, effort and money into something for _herself_ that she couldn't even be a part of. Finally, she got so sick of him, she snapped and lunged at him, quickly wrapping her hands around his throat.

" _Akito_!" Hatori snapped, racing in and grabbing her wrists from behind, easily pulling her off while Ayame ducked out, and then raising and eyebrow when she headed for and clung to Tedachi, burying her face in his shirt in a weak attempt to hide her tears.

"I'll take care of her," He offered, carefully sweeping her up and setting her down on the bed, throwing a quick glance to Hatori as he headed out after his friend before turning to Akito, asking as he pulled her blanket up, "Are you okay?"

"It's _NOT FAIR_ ," She cried, hands fisted in the blanket as she sobbed, briefly looking up when she felt the bed move and watched him as he sat next to her.

"Come here," Tedachi coaxed, setting a gentle hand on her back when she moved to lean against him and cry into his shoulder.

"You don't think I _want_ to skip this dinner, do you?! I've been trying _not_ to think about it because it pisses me off. I put _so much_ work into this!" She whined.

"I know. You have a right to be angry."

"I want to go to the party and wear the damn dress and talk business but I can't, because I'm stuck here throwing up every other thing I'm eating with only _you_ for company! Why hasn't anyone else come to see me?!"

Unable to respond, Tedachi simply sat, rubbing at her back while she sobbed and vented until she fell asleep, uttering a discontented cry here and there, being careful when he stood and giving a soft smile when she simply settled into her spot.

"She cried herself to sleep," He admitted to Hatori once he got downstairs.

"Being honest, I'm not surprised she lashed out," Hatori sighed, offering up a cup of tea.

"She admitted that she _was_ keeping it all in. She's been pretty upset about missing this party the whole time. It would also explain why she denied she was sick in the first place. I just hope she'll be okay tomorrow while it's all going on," Tedachi sighed, taking a long sip of his tea.

* * *

Lucky for everybody, Akito didn't lash out, in fact, she didn't even cry the following evening as she stood at the window, watching people come through the main gate. She heard them moving around downstairs in one of the main rooms and simply sighed at the sound as she fingered the fabric of the dress she was holding.

"You're only going to make yourself upset," Tedachi lightly scolded as he stepped into the room. "Why don't you get back into bed? I have a surprise for you."

"What kind of surprise?" Akito sighed, dropping the dress in its place and heading for bed the same moment he crossed the room and shut the purple curtains.

"I lied. I actually have two. Firstly, I'm going to let you try a different kind of soup, since you actually held down your food this morning," He said, carefully handing over her coffee mug.

"I threw up this afternoon," She reminded him.

"Yes, but that was only _once_. And you haven't since then."

"I liked the applesauce you gave me," She admitted, taking a careful sip of the soup. "It was a nice change."

"I'm glad," He smiled, sat on the bed. By now, he had stopped hesitating. He knew she wouldn't mind. "Hatori said that once you started keeping your food down better to add a few things."

"The toast I had for breakfast left something to be desired, though."

"It's because you can't have jam just yet. You'll also be off the electrolyte tomorrow. But, you're still restricted to water."

Akito only nodded, taking another long sip to hide her disappointment. Since she started feeling a bit better, her body had been craving drinks with flavour."You said you had another surprise," She said.

"Right…" He muttered, stood to retrieve a book from her desk and returned to his spot. "I brought you a new book, since we finished the other one."

"Are you going to read it to me?"

"If you want. Though, you did just fine on your own yesterday."

"No. I want you to. I need the company," Akito admitted, gently tracing the rim of her mug with her finger a few times. "It'll keep my mind off…"

Though she trailed off, he knew what she was thinking as he moved to settle next to her and started, raising a eyebrow when, after she finished the soup, she set the mug down and laid against him. He gave her a brief glance and then shrugged as he continued on, trying and failing at keeping his wandering thoughts at bay as he realised that the past few days, he had been seeing a _completely_ different side of Akito. Instead of being confident and strong as always, she had been forced to admit her own weakness and stay in bed for days with barely any solace aside from him or Hatori. And, not only was she forced to stay down, but was made to do so when she had important plans. Plans she had poured over for at least a month, picking at every detail to make sure the dinner party went off without a hitch. Which, he was sure it would, just…without the hostess. Instead, the guests would be handled by Shigure, who he had yet to officially meet, having only passed him and who he assumed was his sister in the hall. The sister was Akito's best friend, he had found out when he walked in on a phone conversation she had been having with the other woman yesterday.

In the middle of his thought process, he reminded himself to talk to Akito about those awful, young girls when she got better. Their attitudes had always been less-than-appreciated, but their comments and actions during the past few days especially rubbed him the wrong way. Poor Akito had been rendered virtually helpless and all they wanted to do was make her even more miserable. He then realised that, this had been the first glimpse he'd ever gotten of her being anything other than her strong-willed, stubborn self. Sure, she had lashed out a few times, but she cried more than she yelled and seeing it all made him see more than ever that she was, well…human. Not just the Head of the Family, or his employer, but a young woman, who needed, wanted, _craved_ genuine affection and attention, _especially_ when she was sick. Not just the cold, traditional attention of her maids, who, as Hatori said could and would do what was necessary, but nothing beyond that. They weren't there, holding her and comforting her while she was crying and puking…And crying _while_ puking. Nor did they take the time to make sure she was always warm and comfortable and that she ate at least a little bit, while drinking _all_ of her water. He was. He was the one doing the during and after care, enduring the sight of her throwing up in front of him and assuring she was alright. He was the one adjusting her blanket while she slept comfortably, looking rather… _ **cute**_ curled up with her blanket and her hair hanging _just so_ in her face. Dark, thick locks that she let him run his fingers through and twirl around as he comforted and talked to her while she looked up at him with those sad, needy, _expressive_ eyes. He realised by spending time with her, he had started to read her eyes and use her various expressions as cues in taking care of her.

And, as he sat, his mind focused on both his reeling thoughts and the words on the page a part of him started to think that…

' _No. Absolutely not,'_ Tedachi frowned at the wandering thought when he set the book down a while later after she had fallen asleep. _'There is no way…I can't be…Am I…Falling for her?!'_ He quickly shook the idea off as he stood, thinking as he closed the door behind him, _'No. Of course not. If anything, I'm understanding her a little better and becoming her friend, but nothing more.'_


	3. A Way of Saying Thanks

_**A Way of Saying "Thanks"**_

 _ **A/N:**_ _Firstly, I want to give a HUGE thank you to_ _ **Lura Elsworth**_ _for the first on this story! You don't understand how AWESOME it felt to get some support! And also thank you to_ _ **Keelan1210**_ _for both the favourite and the follow!_

 _Hope this next chapter is enjoyed/appreciated!_

* * *

 _Timeline: Mid February, a few days after Akito's illness clears_

"Akito, you _lost_ weight," Hatori sighed as he looked over his office scale again, which the woman in question was standing on.

"How much?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Point ninety-one kilograms. You might have to go back on the protein bars," The doctor mused, handing over her clothes before heading to his desk to record the results.

"But those are _awful_ ," Akito snapped and slipped her dress back on, having reluctantly taken it off for the necessary physical.

"We can't have you losing weight like that when we worked so hard to get you up to where you _need_ to be."

"It's not my fault! I've been _sick_ , remember?"

"I do," He replied, made a note. "And I'm still going to recommend you return to eating the protein bars."

Akito responded with a groan as she adjusted her stockings and reached for her boots, scowling when, after a bit of rummaging, he set a box of the aforementioned bars on his desk.

"Other than that, everything appears to be fine now. Your vitals are normal and you don't have any lingering symptoms. But, we're still going to get the blood work done tomorrow morning."

"I _hate_ you," She spat, thinking, _'He knows how much I hate needles. Especially the kind that take blood. Fucking bastard.'_

"Of course you do," Hatori sighed, handed over the box once she pulled her jacket on. "Now, you know the drill. You have to eat at least _one_ of these a day."

"Whatever," She muttered, snatched the box out of his hand and stomped out to start the short trek back to her own home in the middle of the estate.

"Welcome back," Tedachi greeted when she returned.

"Don't you have something to do?" She snapped, sitting to tug off her shoes.

"Uh-oh. What's wrong? Did Hatori say something?" He asked, moving to grab her black peacoat as she shrugged out of it.

"He's putting me back on the damn protein bars."

"Protein bars?"

"They help me gain weight."

"Why would you want to _gain_ weight? A lot of woman would kill to be as small as you."

"Health reasons. I need to stay above a certain point. Up until a few years ago, I was horribly underweight."

"I know it's rude to ask, but…"

"Forty-three kilograms, give or take," Akito interrupted, turning to look at him when she was met with silence. " _What_?"

"I'm just…That's…Wow."

"I know. I used to be really sickly. And I never ate well."

"Hatori told me a bit about it. He said you were emotionally strained for a long time."

"I was," Akito admitted, taking the hand he offered, letting him help her up and gasping when her foot slipped.

"You're okay," Tedachi laughed when he caught her. "Just watch your footing next time."

"Go ahead and put those in the kitchen," She ordered, gesturing to the bars. "Then I need to you to go outside and salt the pathways. It's starting to snow."

"Yes Ma'am," He sighed as he moved to pick up the box and she headed off and back up to her room, shoving aside a business proposal in favour of a personal project she had been avoiding for days.

* * *

While she scribbled away on a piece of stationary, Tedachi diligently did what he was told, carefully slipping on his jacket and boots before digging through a storage area for the rock salt, earning grateful looks from the maids as he did so.

"We should have gotten a guy in here a long time ago," Kaoru smiled to Minori as they swept the deck. "I always _hated_ doing that job."

"Everyone does. That's why we end up fighting over it," Minori shrugged.

"I really love how I get to be stereotyped," He called sarcastically.

"Then stop being so good at men's work!" Minori called back, failing at holding in the laugh that followed and echoed his own before she scurried off and left him to his task, which put him outside for a decent amount of time and left him freezing by the time he came back in.

' _Considering I just spent an hour and a half in the freezing cold, they had better not care about this early break,'_ Tedachi thought as he stirred his coffee in the staff room before settling down at one of the tables to flip through a book. His time reading to Akito had gotten him interested in some of her books, and he ended up borrowing a few – with her permission, of course. Though some of them turned out to not line up with his own taste story wise, he had to admit that the writing was usually good, and that, aside from the few dime-store type smut novels she had lying around for reasons he didn't want to ponder, she kept a pretty decent collection. Then again, all she ever seemed to do _was_ read.

"I guess _you_ must be Tedachi. You are the only guy here, after all… " A voice said, cutting through his thoughts and prompting him to look up.

"I am. Did you need something?" He asked.

"Oh! Well…I…" The woman sputtered, thinking when he looked up, _'My God. He's_ _ **hot**_ _. My first day back and I find out our newest staff member is this gorgeous young man. Just look at those eyes! Ugh! If I wasn't married and younger I'd be chasing after him! I actually wonder why the other girls aren't…He's all alone here.'_

"Yes?"

"Oh! Right! Here," She said, quickly handing over an envelope before making her exit.

Tedachi raised an eyebrow, first at her, then the envelope, which was printed with his name. Upon turning it over, he found it sealed with a purple butterfly sticker that he smiled at before opening it, finding both a printed reservation conformation on high-end paper _and_ a handwritten note on _pink_ , butterfly-bordered stationary.

 _Tedachi,_

 _Firstly, I ask you to ignore the colour of this paper. The stationary set was a Christmas gift, and apparently,_ _ **only**_ _comes in this colour. Personally, I think Shigure was just trying to annoy me, but, whatever. Anyway, since you spent all that time doting on me while I was sick, I figured you deserved a little something in return. What I've given you is a reservation and meal for two –including drinks - at one of the best high-end restaurants in town. Take your girlfriend out or something…This also means you have off on Friday so you can make use of it._

 _-Akito_

"Is she serious?" He muttered as he looked the letter over again and then picked up the other paper. _'She doesn't have to do this. A simple 'thank you' would be fine…Then again, she seems to have trouble saying it. I believe she only said it once or twice when she was sick…And when she didn't, her eyes said it for her. I guess I can't turn down a free meal though…Except, who the hell am I going to go with? My best friend lives in Osaka, it would look weird to bring my brother, and my sister and mother both work. And of course I don't have a girlfriend…Wait, why did she think I did, anyway? Nevermind, it doesn't matter, I'll figure it out.'_ He thought with a sigh, quickly folding up the letter and placing both it and the reservation paper in the book before shutting it and downing the rest of his coffee, soon returning to his chore list while keeping an eye out for Akito, who he didn't run into again until he was preparing to leave later that night, having to move out of the way when she threw open and stepped out of the bathroom door.

"Where have you been all day?" He blurted out.

"Working?" Akito said, the smallest hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"Oh, right…Anyway, I've been looking for you. I wanted to thank you for—"

"You're not supposed to thank me for that," She snapped, adjusting the plain, black cardigan she wore over her short-sleeved nightshirt and leggings ensemble. "If you do that, we'll just keep going back and forth."

"I'm still thanking you anyway. You didn't have to go to so much trouble. I know you must have pulled a few strings."

"You went through more than I did! I only had to make a few phone calls. You spent days by my side, dealing with me while I was _puking_ in front of you! How could you _not_ have found that gross? I was _disgusted_ with _myself_!"

"Because telling you that you were disgusting would have only made you upset and angry. I'll admit, it _was_ a little gross, but you were sick and had to be taken care of. It was all instinct, actually. Most of it came from my mother, who _never_ made me feel like I was disgusting when I was sick."

"Well…I'm glad you feel that way. Now, please, just take the gift," She said, one hand fisted in the fabric of her red nightshirt. She was partially at a loss for anything else to say and was wondering _why_ he would question the gift anyway. Who thanked a person for a repayment gift?

"Okay. I'll take it, but only because you insist," He teased, laughing at the glare she gave when he ruffled her hair.

"Don't you _dare_ ," She snapped, quickly shoving his hand out of the way before heading off, ignoring the second laugh that _he_ gave before walking in the opposite direction to finish locking up for the night.

' _Ugh! Why is he such a dork?!'_ She thought once she reached and slid open the door to her room, soon grabbing a book from her desk and moving to settle on the bed with it, putting it down and groaning when she found that she couldn't concentrate. _'This is all_ _ **his**_ _fault! Why am I even thinking about him?!'_ She asked herself, pondering the answer for a minute and sighing. _'Probably because that dork is one of the few servants I've had that actually_ _ **wants**_ _to be my friend. And he's the only one I've wanted to be friends with in a long time. He's…Different and treats me like a_ _ **person**_ _. And he doesn't seem to want to be friends just to get money or favours…Hell, he even asks about my books_ _ **and**_ _discusses them with me! None of the others can say that…'_

The thought brought a small smile to her face as she flipped a page in the book and continued on, filled with a sudden resolve to finish it since he had been reading the same one for a few days now, and something about him being ahead just irked her. She hated being behind and out of the loop on things like this, and had often fought with Shigure to tell her the details of his novels when she was younger.

She smirked and flipped another page, thinking, _'He better not finished this before me!'_

* * *

Two days later, a sneak trip to the staff room revealed that, much to her amusement, Akito _had_ read farther. The result drew a small smile out of her as she headed off to finish a few things related to the business proposal and meeting that had been delayed while she'd been sick, alternating between tasks and looking up from her laptop when her door suddenly slid open.

"Sorry about the intrusion. You asked for a snack tray?" Tedachi said when he stepped in, small tray in hand.

"Yes. Thank you," Akito said with a nod, easily standing to take it.

"You don't have a table in here…" He noted.

"No. I have a desk. And I usually eat my meals downstairs," She explained, setting the small tray down next to her laptop and reaching for the glass of juice as she leaned against her desk.

"You _do_ have this dress form in here though… _why_?" He asked, moving to look over the blue party dress hanging off it.

Akito shrugged. "Ayame put it in here when they redesigned this room a few years ago. He said it gave the space an extra feminine touch. And I'll admit that it _does_ look nice. I try and change out the dress on it every so often. I usually stick something on it I don't wear regularly."

"Isn't this the one Ayame made for your dinner party?"

"Yes. I'm…Well…" She bit her lip and paused a minute, contemplating whether or not she _really_ wanted to say anything before continuing on, "I'm slightly disappointed I didn't get to wear it. It's not at all my usual style, but I let him go ahead and try something new and I actually really like the way it turned out."

"It _is_ cute," He muttered, gently running a finger along the sash, soon dropping it and standing straight as a sudden idea crossed his mind. "Maybe…You can have a chance to wear it?"

She only raised an eyebrow at him and took another bite of her riceball.

"Come to dinner with me tomorrow night."

" _What_?!"

"You heard me," He said, his voice holding a slight, teasing tone. "You gave me a reservation and meal for two and I haven't found anyone to go with yet."

"Why _me_? Surely you have some friends? Even a girlfriend?"

"Nope. I was never good at making friends and I've been single for three years now. My best friend moved because of his job last year, and the rest of them drifted off after high school. In fact, you're the first friend I've made in a long time."

"I'm not your friend. I'm your employer," Akito replied, quickly moving to sit back down at the desk.

"You are more than that and you know it," He sighed, leaning against her chair. "And whether you like it or not, I think of you as my friend."

"Make friends with the maids."

"I would, but I like to be able to hold intelligent conversations with my friends and _not_ talk about which J-Pop star is involved with his dancers."

"That does get annoying," She muttered, reaching for the second riceball as she made a note.

"Well then, would it be better to spend your evening with someone who can actually hold a conversation _or_ be stuck here with only _them_ for company?"

Akito paused, contemplated her options. He _did_ have a point. It would be nice to go out, especially since she hadn't been in awhile. Then again, she figured she could always call Shima if she really wanted a night out, but she'd been reluctant to disturb her since she had been busy with the end of her personal novel and three short stories the publisher requested. She then thought it might be nice to hang out with someone new as well, and after turning the idea over in her head a few more times, nodded.

"Alright. I'll go to dinner with you," She sighed.

"Really?" He said, half-surprised that she actually agreed.

"Yes. What time was the reservation for?"

"Six-thirty."

"I'll meet you at the restaurant then."

He only nodded in response as he headed out, leaving her alone with her work.

As soon as he left, she paused, set down the final riceball and turned to stare at the dress a minute, soon finding herself hoping that it would look alright and that wearing it wouldn't make it seem like she was trying too hard or thinking of this as some kind of date. She then easily shook the thought off. Tedachi didn't seem like he had been trying to hit on her or manipulate her into a date. He just wasn't that kind of a person. His resolve was too honest. If he said he wanted to go out as friends, he meant _as friends_.

The thought kept her from worrying then and the following evening as she double-checked her appearance and adjusted her skirt.

' _I wonder if I really should be wearing these tights…I know it's freezing out…But… this dress wasn't meant for them. Then again, I_ _ **just**_ _got over being sick…And I do get cold easy,'_ She thought with a sigh, soon looking down at the two different perfumes she held. _'This one is my favourite…But it's probably too sexy. I don't need him thinking I want to do anything with him. Especially since this is just a friendly outing. So…I guess we're going with this girly, fruity one…Thanks Tohru,'_ She decided, a small frown threatening to make itself known at the last thought. She liked Tohru and was good friends with her now, but the other woman simply didn't understand her taste. While the younger girl preferred scents that were vibrant, fruity and feminine, Akito had found that she herself preferred scents that were subtle with a touch of sexiness to them. Things like vanilla, rose and jasmine were far more appealing to her. Slightly sensual and womanly, but not overpowering.

"Akito?" Hatori asked, carefully rapping on the door while she sighed and set aside her perfume. "Are you ready? We're going to be late if you don't hurry up."

"Give me a minute!" She snapped, quickly applying the spray before throwing open the door to find Hatori standing with her coat out.

"You look nice," He complimented as she slipped into the coat.

"He told me to wear this dress because I was disappointed about missing the party," Akito explained, fiddling the buttons.

"I'm glad he did. It suits you…Even if it's a little different from what you normally wear."

"Thank you. I was surprised too…" She admitted, taking his hand and letting herself be led downstairs, where, she stopped to slip on her shoes.

"You're sure this is a good idea?" Hatori asked awhile later as he drove.

"Yes. I _told you_. He's not out to try anything. It's just dinner."

"At your _favourite_ upscale restaurant."

"Correction, my favourite _western-style_ restaurant. I like that small, traditional place better, remember?"

"Still."

" _I_ picked the place. It was just supposed to be a gift for him taking care of me when I was sick. But, apparently, he's a pathetic sap with no friends, so he asked me."

"That doesn't make him pathetic. Maybe he's just not a people person? Which, I wouldn't find surprising. He does seem to keep to himself. And he does have _one_ friend."

She only glanced at him.

" _You_. You're his friend, aren't you?"

"Well…I… _Yes_ ," She sighed, finally admitting it. "And he's my first friend in a long time. He doesn't treat me like the girls do. He's not cold or traditional. He treats me…well…Like a _person_. He discusses books with me and asks about my business and my day, and of course, he takes care of me when I'm sick and does more than just hand over food and medicine."

"I'm glad you made a friend. You need to spend more time with people on the outside. It'll be good for you."

Akito didn't respond, only turned to look out the window.

Hatori gave her a fleeting glance but decided not to press as he drove on, finally saying when they stopped at the restaurant, "Try and have fun tonight. Alright? And call me when you're ready to leave."

"That won't be necessary," Tedachi said, coming around to her side of the car and offering his hand. "I'll make sure she gets home."

"But, you don't have a car," Hatori pointed out.

"No. But I know how to work the train system," He explained, smiling when Akito took his hand and let him help her out of the car.

"I am _not_ riding the train," Akito declared with a huff, turning to Hatori as soon as her feet hit the ground. "I will call you," She assured and he nodded while Tedachi closed the door.

"Someone's spoiled," Tedachi teased.

"I am _not_ ," Akito huffed.

"Oh, really? I don't want to ride a dirty train because _I_ can call a car because _I'm_ a rich brat," He mocked, eyes widening when she lightly slapped him.

"Don't you _dare_ ," She snapped.

He only laughed. "Alright, I'm sorry. Shall we?"

"Yes. I'm _cold_ ," She replied, easily following and shooting him a small smile when he held the door open.

' _So, he's a gentleman…'_ She thought as she stepped in, waiting for him to follow before approaching the hostess.

"Sohma?" She asked after giving the proper greeting and rising from her bow. "I haven't seen you in quite awhile. You missed the dinner last month."  
"I _wasn't invited_ ," Akito said through gritted teeth, trying her hardest to hold back her rage. Though she had prepared several business proposals and laid out ideas for the annual dinner, she never got her invitation, and when she called the family hosting it, they _lied_ and told her it had been canceled. In reality, she knew they were just trying to keep her out and had been since she'd come out as a woman and her suspicions were confirmed when Shima revealed that they were talking about it and _her_ at the dinner party.

"Oh, well…Let me show you to your table. You _do_ have a reservation, right?"

"Of course," Akito rolled her eyes as Tedachi handed over the printed confirmation.

"Perfect! Follow me!"

The table she gave them was in a relatively private corner, which was how Akito liked it. She didn't like being in the centre where everyone could watch and judge her.

"Here," Tedachi offered, moving to help Akito out of her coat and then pull out her chair as the hostess set down the menus.

' _Whoa…She looks…Dare I think it,_ _ **beautiful**_ _,'_ He thought to himself once the dress was revealed. The dark, spaghetti-strap, navy piece fell just above her knees. A light-blue sash with a decent-sized bow rested under her small breasts, and gave way to a layered, almost floaty skirt. The blue of the dress mixed well with the black tights and flats she had chosen to wear.

"Tedachi?" She asked, voice breaking through his thoughts.

"Um…yes?" He asked.

"Are you going to stand there and pretend to be a coat rack all night or are you going to sit?"

"Oh, right," He gave a small laugh, draped her jacket over her chair and moved to sit.

"Should I tell you about the specials?" The hostess asked.

"No thank you," Akito said. "I know what I like, just leave us be."

The hostess nodded and scurried off, leaving them to scan the menus.

"So…this is how rich people eat out," Tedachi muttered.

"Let's get one thing straight," Akito said, setting down her own menu. "If we're going to hang out, then I don't want any more rich people jokes. Got it? I know this is culture shock for you, but…"

"No, I get it. Sorry. I guess I'm just a little nervous. I've never been to a place this fancy."

"Just obey the basic etiquette rules and you'll be fine. And remember, this is already paid for, so try not to get sticker shock."

"No promises," He said, looking up when a waiter came by and set two glasses of water down.

"Excuse me?" Akito said, easily giving him a drink order when he looked her way.

"What _is_ that?" Tedachi asked her.

"My favourite wine. I only get it here. For some reason we just can't track it down. You'll like it, I promise."

He nodded, and they sat in silence for a bit, until he sighed and said. "Alright, you're the expert. Tell me what to order."

"Overwhelming, isn't it?" She said, giving a brief 'thank you' to the waiter when he dropped off the bottle of wine and two glasses, saying as she picked up the bottle, "Personally, I usually like to start with Gyoza, here they make them with fresh vegetables and different kinds of meat. The steak is my favourite. And then I just mix up the _Kaiseki_ options. I can never do the whole eleven course version though. So, I usually get the smaller, six-course one instead. I tried the bigger one _once_ at a dinner party two years ago and was feeling sick after the seventh dish. But, I stupidly forced myself to eat it and ended up crying to Hatori when I threw up that night."

He nodded, took the wine glass she held out to him. "I've only had a meal like that _once_ when I was thirteen and my parents took us to one of those fancy inns."

"Us?" Akito raised an eyebrow as she took a sip from her own glass after he carefully poured the drink.

"I have a brother and sister," Tedachi explained. "Both older."

"What's that like, anyway? It's just me, so…"

"Well, since I'm the youngest, so it was both annoying and fun…at times. My family is a little…crazy. Not in a psycho way, mind you, they're just a little eccentric. My sister, as I've said before, is a cosplayer and is always running around thinking of new ideas and dragging me into them. My mother is the same way. It can be a bit much at times. Ryuji flirts with everything that moves and my Dad…Well, I think I get most of my sense from him. Despite being the youngest, he says I'm probably the most level-headed. It's how I knew how to take care of you when you were sick. My brother and sister basically turn into babies when they're sick."

Akito gave him a small smile and called the waiter back over, ordering for both herself and Tedachi at his insistence.

"What about your family?" He asked once the waiter walked off.

"What about it?" Akito asked, her defenses immediately strengthening. She _hated_ talking about her family, especially her mother.

"Well, you said your mother hates you, but you've never mentioned your father."

"He died when I was younger."

"Oh."

"Why do you think I'm Head of the Family despite being so young _and_ a woman? I was his only child. And while my mother hated me, he adored me. He always treated me kindly and lavished me with attention. But when he passed…I…I just…"

"You fell apart," Tedachi guessed.

"I had to stand up and be strong and take on my role and I tried. I tried _so_ hard. But when no one was looking…All I did was _cry_. It hurt _so_ much…And I didn't get a lot of comfort…I was expected to put on a face, and grieve with dignity…" She explained, fist clenching and unclenching at the memories, at the pain. "But all I wanted to do was cry and break things and…Excuse me," At the last word, she dashed off and he sighed.

' _God, what did I do?! I didn't mean to bring up anything painful. She could have told me she wasn't comfortable talking about it! Then again, she didn't…So, maybe it means…she trusts me? Even just a little bit? Hmm…'_ He thought, soon contemplating the idea of going after her, but easily deciding against it and resolving to wait until her return ten minutes later.

"I apologise, I know that was rude," She said, easily sliding back into her chair.

"No, it's my fault. I was the one bringing up painful memories."

Akito didn't respond, only picked up her wine glass.

' _She was crying,'_ Tedachi observed, catching the redness in her eyes. "I'm sorry I made you cry. I really didn't…"

"Tedachi," Akito said, carefully placing a hand over his to reassure him. "It's _okay_. If I didn't want to talk about it, I would have said something. I just didn't want to end up in tears in front of the _whole_ restaurant."

"Shall we change the subject then?" He asked, gently sliding his hand out from under hers, and making note of the dark violet polish on her nails, soon finding himself wondering if her toenails were painted too.

"Please."

"How far are you in the book?"

"Chapter seventeen. I tried to push myself to read more last night, but I passed out early…I had a morning meeting today."

"I stopped in the middle of chapter fifteen. I had too many things to do today," He said, running an absentminded hand through his hair and giving a small smile at the way her eyes lit up at his confession. He knew she hated losing and always loved when she found out he was behind in reading.

"Did you get to the part where Tomoya uncovers the fraudulent business deal?" She asked a little too excitedly, she realised.

"I did. And the bank statements. What does he do with those anyway?"

"Are you sure you want me to tell you?"

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't."

"Well, you know his best friend, Eisuke?"

"The one that owns the video game shop?"

"Yes. Well…" She said, soon going into a detailed explanation over the plot points up to where she read and giving him a few theories to think about, only pausing when the waiter came by and dropped off her food, saying that his would be coming soon.

"I like the idea that it could be used to their advantage but," Tedachi started, pausing when the waiter returned. "Thank you," He said politely before continuing, "I think that Tomoya has too much of an honest resolve for that. If anything, he would go the legal way."

"Discoveries like that can do strange things to people," Akito pointed out, reaching for her third dish. "This business world isn't always an honest place, even though I try and be as truthful as _I_ can. I can't afford to tarnish the family's name, especially since I'm a woman."

"What does that have to do with anything?" He asked, carefully picking up the cup of sake she pushed his way, saying that she didn't like it.

"The elite families I work with don't trust me. You see, for years I lived under the guise of being a man for traditional and business reasons," She half-lied, but there was no way she was ready to reveal everything to him. Not when they'd only just become friends. "But when I finally decided I was sick of playing games and revealed I was a woman, well…Many of our business partners didn't take it well. They're rather old fashioned and many of them despise the idea of a woman in power. They try to manipulate me and keep throwing their sons in my face. 'Oh, poor Miss Sohma,' they say. 'So young and beautiful but terribly temperamental and she thinks too much of herself. What she needs is a good man to put her in her place.'"

"That sounds…" He started.

"…Annoying?" She finished.

"Yes."

"It _is_. They don't like inviting me to dinners anymore, they hesitate when I suggest hosting meetings…Apparently I somehow became a different person because I decided to wear dresses and paint my nails."

"If it helps, I like you the way you are. Most high class women seem really boring and shallow…Well, at least the ones that come to your dinner parties do. When I was making your soup that night, I overheard a long, drawn out conversation on beauty treatments and designer dresses. At least you _read_ and put your attention into important things. While I was straightening up your room one of the days you were sick, I caught a glimpse at some of your business documents. They're really impressive and extremely well put-together."

At first, Akito simply sat still, unsure of how to respond as she stared at him, soon having to snap herself out of it as she said, "I _have_ to. But, even if I didn't…I don't think I could bear to be like them. Closets full of clothes that never get worn, makeup caked on for no reason…Dates with men they don't even like but go out with because their fathers tell them to. How is that _any_ way to live?"

"It's not…At least, it doesn't sound like it to me. Then again, I'm a commoner…And a guy, so I don't know much about that kind of life. But, if they enjoy it…"

"A good handful of them don't. Their eyes are dull when I talk to them about their romantic lives. It seems that the only thing that makes them happy is _more stuff_ ," Akito sighed, picked up her rice bowl.

"You have a good handful of stuff yourself," Tedachi pointed out, unconsciously mimicking her movement.

"Not like they do. I actually re-wear my clothes, _including_ party dresses. And I really don't have a whole lot. The Sohma…At least on my end, are rather traditional."

"Hmmm…" Tedachi nodded.

"Enough about me," Akito decided. "What about _you_? You must have _something_ to talk about besides the books we read."

"Not really. I don't do anything interesting. I already told you, my best friend moved and I don't have a girlfriend, so it's just me."

"And what does 'just you' like to do?"

"Besides reading and work, I play videogames too much for someone my age. And I love to cook. I'm the only one of my siblings that does, actually. My sister can cook enough to survive, and Ryu tends to eat mostly quick, convenience store food. Every time we see each other I try and give him something decent to eat."

"I figured you cooked regularly. The food you made me when I was sick was good. Great, even," She admitted, slightly shy about saying so. It was rare that she complimented people, as there was still a part of her that struggled with it for reasons she couldn't place. After saying it, she quickly looked down and picked at her food, eyes shooting up briefly to catch his smile.

' _God, he has a nice smile. Why didn't I notice before? I spent so much time with him when I was sick and he talks with me all the time, yet I hardly look at him. And I never really asked about his life. Usually we talk about books, or my business, or some stupid news story he read…And he finds some pretty weird ones. Probably because he's a dork,'_ She thought, holding back a laugh at her own thought as she delicately picked up her wine glass. _'He's a good-looking dork though…Those eyes just…Wait…'_ Her thoughts halted and she carefully traced the rim of her wine glass as she muttered, "Where the fuck did _that_ come from?"

"Excuse me?" Tedachi asked.

"Nothing! Just thinking out loud," Akito admitted with a nervous smile.

"Alright…Anyway, I just remembered, I have this book you might like. It's a bit more action-based than your usual fair, but has a nice amount of business intrigue."

"What's it about?"

He smiled and began to relay the details of the plot to her, making sure to pay attention to her eyes, which told him that she _was_ interested in it. After a quick once over that revealed nothing fake about her interest, he offered to let her borrow it once they finished their current venture and then listened when she gave a few of her own recommendations before moving onto the details of her last business meeting after he asked, finishing the story just as he topped off her wine glass, which she carefully picked up, intending to take a sip until someone said her name. Someone who _wasn't_ Tedachi.

"Akito Sohma? I thought I heard your voice," An older man said as he approached with a younger one in tow.

"Hayato Ayoma," Akito greeted, standing to give a polite bow. "I apologise if I was being too loud."

"No, not at all. May I introduce you to my son, Daichi?"

"Nice to meet you," The young man said with a bow that Akito repeated.

"He's in the middle of his third year at university and at the top of his class," His father bragged.

"Congratulations," Akito offered politely, holding in the urge to roll her eyes.

"Don't say that yet. There's still more to get through. But, don't think he's boring and studious all the time."

" _Dad_!" Daichi snapped.

Hayato ignored him as he continued, "Perhaps he could show _you_ a good time. He _is_ visiting for a few more days."

"Thank you, but I'm rather busy. Tonight is my only…"

"I'm sure you could find some time," Hayato insisted, shooting his son a look.

' _What? What do you want me to say? She's cute, but I'm_ _ **not**_ _into her and she's clearly not into me. At all. Besides, I'm trying to get the attention of the Arima girl in my Japanese class.'_ Daichi thought, holding in a sigh as he said, "There's a karaoke bar a few blocks from here. My friends and I were going to go tomorrow, if you want to join us…"

"I _don't_ ," Akito snapped. "I _want_ to sit and finish my dinner with my friend."

' _Fine with me,'_ Daichi told himself with a shrug.

"So you two _aren't_ going out…" Hayato mused.

"No. We're not. But, that doesn't mean I want to go out with your son. Have a good evening," She declared and promptly sat back down, signaling the conversation as over, smirking when the two men headed out.

"What was that about?" Tedachi asked.

"One of my business partners trying to set me up with his son," She explained, picking up her dessert dish.

"Once you're done with that, can we get out of here?"

Akito nodded and finished off her plate as quickly and politely as she could, carefully organising the dishes back into their proper setup when she was finished, waiting as he did the same and stood to pick up her jacket, holding it out for her as she stood.

They headed up to the front together, where Akito informed the hostess the meal had been paid for in advance and waited while the girl double-checked to make sure the amount covered all that had been ordered and then handed over a bit of change when she found that the amount paid was more than the meal.

"Thank you," Akito said politely as she took the money, handing it over to Tedachi as soon as they were out the door.

"Wha –"

"I _told_ you it was all for you. You can keep that."

"But…"

She waved a dismissive hand at him, pulled her mobile from her pocket and then glared when he carefully took it from her.

"Come on," He said, gently taking her hand.

"Where are we going?" She asked.

"The train. You showed me part of your lovely, extravagant world, now I get to show you a part of regular people life," He said, only half-joking.

"But I don't want to ride the train," Akito snapped.

"Too bad," Tedachi said, holding in a laugh at her annoyed huff.

' _Why?! Why should I be forced to sit on a crowded train with other people when I can call a car? Plus, I'm_ _ **freezing**_ _! I'm glad I wore stockings…'_ She thought, finding the temperature no better once they were in the station. However, she forced herself to ignore it in favour of focusing on navigating the place, keeping close to Tedachi in fear of getting lost and letting him guide her through the process of getting a ticket and finding the platform.

"Now, this train stops a few blocks before your estate. We'll have to walk the rest of the way," He informed her once they were in the train car.

"But it's _cold_ outside! And I just got over being sick!"

"A little walk in the cold shouldn't hurt too much," Tedachi told her, carefully setting a hand on her back when the train moved, startling her. "It's a train. It moves," He teased.

"Shut up," Akito muttered. "Why can't we sit?"

"Because the seats are mainly meant for the elderly, handicapped, pregnant and mums with young kids. We _can_ sit, but I just prefer to stand. Then I don't have to go through the awkwardness of giving up my seat or feeling guilty I'm in someone's way," He explained.

"I don't get you," Akito admitted. "You're a really nice guy, and more than friendly enough…But you can be _so_ awkward. How does that make any sense?"

"I'm polite, but not really a people person. I can have a casual conversation with someone, but it takes awhile for me to make friends. Though, I figure I must be doing something right if I made _you_ my friend."

Akito simply looked away, hoping he couldn't see the faint blush she knew was crossing her cheeks. After a few moments of silence, she admitted, "You treat me like a person. Not a boss, not someone to be fussed over but a… _Friend_. And…I…Well…"

"It's okay. I get it," He smiled, and, to his surprise, she smiled back before pulling out her mobile, which he had handed back over on the platform. "What are you doing?"

"Texting Hatori. I need to let him know I'll be getting home on my own."

Tedachi gave a brief nod and glanced around the train, looking down when she tugged at his sleeve to get his attention and moved in closer. He raised an eyebrow and then followed her over-the-shoulder gaze to a young man who was clearly eyeing her. Thinking quickly, he wrapped an arm around her waist and held back a smirk when the man cast his eyes down in disappointment.

' _Man, she really is small…But, it's kind of cute…And scary. She_ _ **looks**_ _like she could be small and sweet, but she can and will rip into someone if she has to…'_ He thought, the silence between them continuing until they got off the train.

"I can't believe he was _staring_ at me like that!" Akito snapped as they headed out of the station.

"I can't believe you didn't make some sort of fuss," Tedachi admitted.

"I didn't want to make a fool out of myself. The train was so quiet, it seemed rude when he didn't do anything but look at me wrong. And I…" She paused, looked up when she felt something drip onto her hand and then scowled at the snowflakes starting to fall. "Great…Just what we need…More damn snow," She muttered, shoving her hands in her pockets as they walked on.

"I don't mind it," Tedachi shrugged. "It's pretty."

"When it's falling and I'm not in it, yes. But then it hits the ground, piles up on my walkways and gets dirty and turns to slush."

He gave a small laugh at her declaration, a smirk soon playing at his lips as he fell behind, stopped and gathered up a handful of snow, throwing it for and hitting her in the middle of her back.

" _Tedachi_!" She snapped and he shrugged, feigning innocence. She scowled, stomped over and smacked his arm. "What was _that_ for?"

"Just because."

She narrowed her eyes at him before turning heel and heading back down the path.

"You're not going to hit me back?" Tedachi asked.

"I did."

"With a snowball I mean."

"Not when I don't have gloves. But, don't think this is over. Now, _hurry up_! I'm cold!"

"Yes Ma'am," He laughed and picked up his pace, taking a minute to fall into step with her as they walked along and struck up another set of various conversations that ranged from a new game he was waiting on to some stuff going on around the main house.

"I'm considering throwing another dinner party at some point. Maybe in April…" Akito mused aloud.

"Still mad you missed out on it this time around?" Tedachi guessed.

"Of course I am. I had a lot planned for that night and spent a long time making up and re-writing several proposals I missed presenting since I didn't get invited to the annual dinner in January."

Tedachi only nodded as they finally approached the main gate. Once they stopped, he turned to face her.

"I had a nice time tonight. Thank you for dinner."

"Well…Thank _you_ for taking care of me," Akito _finally_ said, having been working up to it half the night.

"Just doing my job," He shrugged. "I'm glad this came out of it though. Despite what everyone says about you…You're, well… _Fun._ I like hanging out with you and having someone I can have real, honest conversations with. We'll have to do something outside of the main house again."

"Maybe we could go out for lunch one day and you can show me one of your favourite regular people restaurants?" Akito suggested.

"Sounds like a plan to me. See you tomorrow," He said, waiting until she was inside and the gate was locked before heading off. He briefly wondered if he should have walked her back to her house, but knew she would be safe inside the estate.

And she was. The gates all around were locked and it was near-impossible to get in. However, despite knowing this, she still picked up the pace as she made her way back to her own home, where she was greeted by the last two maids on lock-up duty, who diligently took her coat and offered to set her a bath, which she eagerly stepped into once they did so, giving a content sigh as the scented water surrounded her.

' _I guess I have to admit it to myself. Tonight_ _ **was**_ _fun. Really fun, actually…Hmm…Never thought I'd say that about a formal dinner,'_ She thought, giggling as she collected a handful of bubbles and blew them about. _'I guess who you go out with makes a difference too. Tedachi is actually really good company. I can hold intelligent conversations with him and he treats me like his friend. And…he really seemed appalled when I told him how the other family heads treat me. In fact…He said that…They were all wrong about me. And that…he_ _ **likes**_ _me. He likes me even though other people say things and tell him otherwise…'_

She paused, ran her hands over the bubbles, actively ignoring the blush she felt rising to her cheeks. _'I guess…I like him too. He's a nice enough guy…And rather good-looking with those dark eyes and hair that falls in his face just so. And then there's…Wait a damn minute!'_ Akito gave an audible gasp as she shot up, splashing some of the water out of the tub. _'Am I…Crushing on him?! No, no, no! I am not some lovesick school girl. Grown women_ _ **do not**_ _get crushes. Especially not on new friends. Even if those friends are attractive guys with good personalities. Ugh! Stop_ _ **it**_ _!'_ She ordered herself, quickly shaking her head. _'There is_ _ **nothing**_ _there and never will be. We are_ _ **friends**_ _. That's it. Nothing more.'_ She decided, giving another sigh as she settled back down and reached for the juice glass on the side of the tub.


	4. Shima Profile (Non Chapter)

_**Character Profile: Shima Sohma**_

 _ **A/N:** I dearly apologise for this readers, but this chapter isn't a chapter. However, it IS important. This is the profile/background information for my __**female**_ _Fruits Basket_ _OC, Shima, who will be playing a larger role in this story from chapter four onwards. It was too big to make into an author's note, so…I decided to post it as a full document for your convenience  
_

* * *

 _ **Shima Sohma**_ is an aspiring writer and Shigure's younger sister who joins his household shortly before Tohru, Kyo and Yuki begin their second year in high school. Though she is initially regarded as a side-character in _Fruits Basket_ , she plays a major role in the events of _After Story_.

 **Physical Appearance**

Shima is 162.5 centimetres (5'4), and is speculated to weigh somewhere around 53 kilograms (117lbs). She has long, black hair that falls down past middle of her back with a divided fringe similar to, but shorter than her brother's and brown eyes.

Shima prefers casual, comfortable clothing that's both durable and fashionable. She has a preference for skirts paired with either layered tops or shirts accessorised with cardigans or jackets. In the winter, she opts for dresses with stockings, only donning pants when she absolutely has to. Colour wise, she's been known to mix things up, but is typically drawn to pinks, blues and purples in varying shades. She tends to gravitate towards plainer styles and doesn't particular like wearing patterned clothing.

 **Personality**

Shima is a gentle, reserved girl who tries to keep a positive outlook. She doesn't like when other people are down and will always do her best to make them smile when they are. She tends to be fun-loving and often joins her brother in making jokes when she's not scolding him. However, she's also shown to have a rather serious, secretive side due to her knowing the darker side of the Sohma curse. As a result, she forces herself to keep her emotions in check and has been known to suppress her own desires in favour of family interests. She is once described by Tohru as having a hidden sadness in her eyes despite her loving, happy smiles.

Despite her need to often swallow her own emotions, Shima is also shown to be rather loving and affectionate to those she cares about. She is unwaveringly loyal and can be rather overprotective over certain members of the family, especially Shigure. She absolutely hates seeing him or anyone else hurt and will go to the ends of the earth and back to make it right if she has to. With the affection, also comes a caring, motherly side, that she shows first in her worrying over Kyo, Yuki, Tohru and Isuzu and later on, the girls of the Flowering Trio, namely, Seiya. She offers advice when asked and always seems to be there when someone needs a hand and a shoulder to cry on. It's been speculated that this may be part of her way of dealing with being 'outside' the curse and could be a way for her to feel useful when she's lost in the shuffle of things.

Following the breaking of the curse, Shima begins to drop her more secretive, reserved side and begins showing her positive fun-loving side a bit more, revealing herself to also be a bit of hidden flirt.

 **Background**

 _ **Fruits Basket** _

Shima is Shigure's junior by seven years and was the bane of his existence for the first five years of her life. Upon hearing of his mother's pregnancy, Shigure immediately decided to hate the child growing inside of her, a feeling that only got worse after Shima's birth. To him, she was a nuisance who was taking away his parents' affection. In his mind, he thoroughly believed that she was actually the family favourite due to her escaping the Zodiac curse and he became resentful, waving off her affections towards him and often shoving her around with nasty words when she came near him. However, despite all of his ill treatment towards her, Shima never wavered, offering her hand and a smile to him after a particularly bad day when he was twelve that finally brought him around. Since then, Shima and Shigure have been rather close. She is the one person he will truly open up to and the only one that he cannot make himself hurt or manipulate in any shape or form. Part of the reason that Shima clings to her brother is that he is her only real, true friend, as she had trouble making friends at school due to her living on "the inside" and having to follow the rules that disallowed outsiders. The other girls at school decided that, because she never invited them over, it meant that she didn't want to associate with them and thought herself above them. This led to her being left out of several parties and activities, thought she kept up cordial communications at school.

In her first official appearance Shima appears on the doorstep of her brother's house one afternoon and is greeted by Tohru, however, before she can introduce herself, Shigure walks by and is subsequently tackled and transformed by this girl who Yuki indentifies as "Shima." A brief conversation reveals her as Shigure's sister and a second-year university student who transferred to a local school after having trouble fitting in at her first choice. She declares that she is going to be living in the house, having been promised a place by Shigure the previous semester. However, he reveals that a lot happened and that since Kyo and Tohru moved in, there's little space, forcing Shima to share a room with her older brother after giving it a thorough cleaning.

Following her cleaning of her brother's room, Shima accompanies Tohru on a grocery shopping trip in an attempt to get to know her a little better. During this trip, Tohru learns that, not only is Shima not part of the Zodiac, but that she has her own set of troubles that come with being the "normal" sister of one who is cursed, including the awful treatment her brother inflicted on her years ago. However, before she gets too far into the story, Shima cuts herself off and tells Tohru not to worry about it. Later on, Shigure explains that Shima doesn't like talking about their strained past because she doesn't like thinking about her brother's cruel, cold side, since she knows that he can be warm and kind and doesn't want people to get the wrong first impression of him.

From that point on, she spends much of the series alternating between being an observer and a player in the main events of the story. She is revealed to be attending university alongside Kagura and is studying literature, her dream being to be novelist just like her brother, as she has been telling stories alongside him since she was young. Her history with Kagura goes farther though, as she, Kagura and Isuzu attended the same middle and high schools. However, despite Shima's constant attempts to form a true friendship, Isuzu has typically regarded her coolly, presumably because she was simply afraid of and confused by Shima's advances and kindness with her own history of abuse and Shima's closeness with her manipulative brother. As a result, Isuzu constantly pushed her away, even though, deep inside she actually appreciated and wanted to revel in Shima's affections. Despite the distance she puts between them, Shima still watched over and worried about her, even visiting her in the hospital against her wishes. It isn't until after Tohru manages to soften her heart that Isuzu finally begins to truly open up to Shima and see her as a true friend, one who was always there despite everything that happened.

Over time, she also watches as her brother single-handedly tries to break the curse and becomes increasingly curious over the secrets and plans that she knows he's harbouring, confronting him at one point and screaming at him for his actions and insincerity once she puts some of the pieces together, saying that he simply _can't_ use people that way and that it tears her up when he does, because she _knows_ that he can be better. That he can be truly kind if he wants to, because, after their initial strain, he'd always been nothing but kind and brotherly to her, except when he knew she needed tough love. But, he simply tells her to mind her own damn business and to stay out of his matters, which she eventually, reluctantly agrees too after mulling over it, realising that, even if he did want any sort of help, that she couldn't give it and that he needs to figure himself out. After that, she retreats into herself and becomes rather aloof and far more quiet than usual, as his reaction marks the first time Shigure has ever truly shown any rejection of her and her affections for years, leaving her feeling left out and useless. Her fears are later quelled when, after an altercation with Akito at New Years, he stands up for his sister despite Akito's wrath, showing her that, while he has to keep secrets from her, that she's always going to be dear to his heart. Shima eventually finds out after the curse is broken that all of his secrets and schemes were really partially for her benefit. That he did everything he did to free the two women he adores most in the world: The little girl who wanted nothing more than to make her brother smile, and the goddess trapped behind walls of pain and stigma who never got a chance to really be a person.

Following the breaking of the curse, Shima revels in being able to be held and comforted by her brother for the first time in her life, and shortly afterwards, is introduced to Akito as a woman. After learning this and listening carefully to her story, she offers a hand of friendship to Akito that the other woman reluctantly accepts. In the final chapter, they're shown out shopping together and engaging in playful banter to which Shigure comments that they're "Getting along as fine as ever" with the girls commenting that their tiff is just "part of being besties," signaling that, not only has Akito accepted Shima's friendship, but that they're close enough to be considered best friends.

 _ **After Story **_

In chapter two, Shima appears and is revealed to have graduated university and is taking the steps to becoming a novelist, however, the process is slow, and even with Shigure's help, she's regulated to writing short stories for small literary publications despite having already written a full novel. Her friendship with Akito continues and is as strong as ever. In fact, through flashbacks it is shown that she's responsible for helping to break the other woman out of her shell a bit more and has assisted greatly in making her more comfortable with her body and wearing cuter, more fashionable clothes, namely, flowy dresses that show off her shoulders.

Shima also proves herself to be as insightful as ever, as when Akito starts showing signs pointing to her infatuation with Tedachi, Shima is the first to notice and point them out. She is also the one to inform her that she's fallen in love and is the first one to know of the relationship, though she's sworn to an unspoken secrecy. As a result, she has insight to it that no one else does and is the first person Akito runs to when she needs advice on relationship issues. At times, she has also been put in charge of creating and covering up alibis for the couple. It is through Akito's words and her own help that Tedachi easily comes to trust Shima and becomes good friends with her, even if she and Minori prove to be a bit too much for him to handle at times.

 **Relationships**

 _ **Shigure Sohma**_

When they were younger, Shigure resented Shima simply for existing. Even during their mother's pregnancy he was in denial and rather angry about the whole situation, something that only got worse once she was born on time and _not_ possessed by the zodiac. Shigure got it into his head that she was the family favourite whom he had to fight for attention with and became rather nasty towards her, shoving her away when she tried to show affection and referring to her as "it" for several years despite his parents' and friends' scolding. However, their words were never truly in vain, as, when he was twelve and she was five, she approached him on the porch after a particularly bad day encouraging him to smile, because she didn't like to see her "Nii-San" so sad. She then offers her hand, and waits while he thinks things over and finally accepts it with a warm smile. When recounting this story to Tohru he tells her that, "I'm not sure what it was that clicked inside of me, but I realised in that moment how wrong I had been. Despite everything I had done to her…Despite spending all that time pretending she didn't exist unless it was to shove her away with nasty words or chase her off until she cried…She still stood there telling me to smile with an outstretched hand. And, when I took it, I finally saw how awful I had been to her. I had thought that she only existed to take away my parents' attention, yet, it was never them she wanted the attention from. It was _me_."

From that point on, Shigure and Shima became and have remained rather close. Neither of them have a great relationship with their parents due to them being away and working a lot, so they essentially clung to each other. Shima is the only person he will truly open up to and the only one he can't make himself intentionally hurt, even when it could work in his favour. She is identified as one of two women he adores most in the world, the other being Akito. Though he is generally kind to her, Shima is very much aware of her brother's darker, manipulative side and absolutely abhors that side of him, because she knows that deep inside, he's a decent person. However, she rarely says anything about it, feeling that it's not her place until he goes too far and is promptly lectured by her once she figures out his plans for Tohru. She is then told to mind her own business and backs off the idea for awhile, deciding that it's not her battle to fight.

Shigure has exhibited a protective hold over his younger sister at times, and is the first person she runs to when she's troubled. Because of the curse, they were forced to find other ways of affection beyond hugging, and, as a result, when she was younger Shima resolved herself to lying her head in his lap and letting her play with her hair along with having him brush out her hair on occasion, something that has carried over into their adult years. When Shima wants her brother to be with her, she'll refuse to brush her hair and will demand that only he can do it, something that confuses Kyo and Yuki, but is seen as adorable by Tohru.

 _ **Hatori and Ayame Sohma **_

Hatori and Ayame act as surrogate brothers to Shima, and were always willing to play with her when she was little and Shigure refused. Despite her brother's strong dislike of her, Hatori and Ayame found nothing wrong with her. In fact, in a flashback, Ayame calls baby Shima "endearing." However, Shigure's resentment did not escape either of them, and he was told several times by Hatori to get his act together and to stop acting selfishly because, "that little girl did _nothing_ wrong, except love you!"

After the siblings' reconciliation, Shima remained close to Hatori in particular, but became increasingly irritated by Ayame over the years because of his overwhelming, regal nature. As a result, she usually regards him with annoyance and is often evading his schemes to dress her up in the outfits he has made, completely unaware of the fact that Ayame actually adores her and is jealous of her close relationship with Shigure, saying that he wishes that he could get at least a smidgen of the love she gives Shigure out of his own brother, and has asked Shigure on more than one occasion for advice regarding sibling relationships.

Hatori is the person Shima visits when she needs assistance or advice that her brother can't give, often because she's asking for advice regarding him. He is also the one to comfort Shima after Shigure dismisses her and her feelings about his plans for Tohru and the breaking of the curse. Hatori seems to share a connection with her on an emotional level as well, due to his observing her struggle in her awkward position of knowing the dark secrets of the family and being close to the Zodiac, but never truly belonging due to not being truly cursed. Yet, he knows she can't have a truly normal life on the outside either, because she is shunned by others due to her secrecy.

 _ **Isuzu Sohma **_

Shima is two years older than Isuzu and was in her third year of middle school when the other girl entered her first year. Though she had known of Isuzu and heard about her through Kagura, the two had never met until entering school together. During their time in school, Shima tried her hardest to get Isuzu to open up to her, knowing that she could really use a friend. However, frightened and confused by her kindness, Isuzu simply pushed her away, even though she secretly wanted to accept her friendship. She also believes that, as hard as Shima tries, she will never truly understand her or the other zodiac members' struggle, because, even though she grew up around them and the curse, she will always be an outsider. Plus, she may harbour some resentment over her because Shima _is_ the sister of the ever-manipulative dog.

Despite Isuzu's cold attitude, Shima continued to worry about and watch over her though school and even after graduating. After Isuzu meets Tohru and begins to slowly accept her, she also starts to see the true kindness in Shima and begins to open up to her the way she wanted to all those years ago. Kazuma remarks that Shima and Tohru are her first true friends, and Yuki says that, when Isuzu found a mother in Tohru she also found a _sister_ in Shima.

 _ **Tohru Honda **_

Shima and Tohru hit it off right away at first, as Tohru enjoys her cheerful air and happy personality. However, she quickly learns that there is more to Shima than she initially thought. Whilst out on a shopping trip, she learns that, not only is Shima _not_ part of the zodiac, but that she has her own set of troubles that come with her position. It is then that she starts to see the hidden sadness in Shima's eyes and realises that, even though she seems happy, deep down inside, she harbours a hidden loneliness. Tohru then begins to sympathise with the other girl and the two start to form a layered friendship that is only made closer by their interactions with Isuzu, because it is Tohru's kindness that brings her around and allows her to see Shima's own kind nature.

Their relationship is later challenged when Shima learns of her brother's manipulative plans and abruptly pulls away from Tohru, not wanting to be caught in the middle. This puts a silent rift between the two girls for awhile until after Shima is able to make up with her brother and reconcile herself with staying out of his plans. She then apologises to Tohru and the two make up and continue their friendship, though Shima harbours guilt over hiding secrets that could affect her in the worst way.

After the break in the curse, the two remain friends and are in frequent contact after Tohru moves away with Kyo. They rarely see each other after that, but when they are together, they are able to pick up wherever they left off. When she begins to loosen up, Shima is also shown to enjoy teasing and flustering poor Tohru, often by making dirty jokes or sexual implications, as she gets enjoyment out of her naivety.

 _ **Akito Sohma **_

Shima spent the better part of her life being deathly afraid of Akito and her wrath. Though certain details were hidden from her, she began to develop her fears after hearing stories about how Akito had used and abused much of the Zodiac, including her own brother and Isuzu. Her fears are more than justified by the fact that Akito couldn't stand her for years and hated her simply for existing. In Akito's twisted mind, Shima only existed to cause trouble and was pulling Shigure away from her. She regarded Shima as an outsider and is shown mocking her more than once in the presence of her brother, who feels it better to simply let Akito rant, but does his best to keep the two women away from each other. Akito also mentions being disgusted by Shima's long, black hair, as any form of such hair reminds her of her hated mother.

Shima finally meets Akito during the New Years' celebration following her move into Shigure's house. After escorting her brother to the Zodiac banquet, Shima turns to head back down the hallway the same time that Akito is making her own way down the corridor, as the two cross paths, Akito reaches out and grabs Shima by the hair without warning, shoving her to the ground before continuing to jerk her around, screaming that she's nothing but an unwanted nuisance who's making her life miserable. She claims that her brother only stays with her out of pity and that he will never be truly bonded to her. That the true bond is with her. Shigure then intervenes and pulls the two apart, receiving a hard slap from Akito when he rushes to comfort his sister first. He then finally confronts Akito about her behaviour and tells her to stay away from his sister and to stop mocking her behind her back. While this revives Shima's relationship with her brother, it only makes Akito resent her more.

Later on, after the curse breaks, Shigure arranges for Shima to meet Akito in private, where she reveals herself as a woman and relays her tragic story. Though Akito expects Shima to retaliate, she embraces her instead and offers her friendship, realising that the only thing Akito really needs is a friend. From that point on, their relationship changes drastically as Shima becomes Akito's best friend. In _After Story_ it's said that she was responsible for helping Akito change her image and for pushing her into wearing more feminine clothes. Shima also develops a habit of trying to push Akito out of her comfort zone whenever possible and fully encourages her in her romantic pursuits, teasing her along the way.


	5. Conversations

_**Conversations**_

 _ **A/N:**_ ** _A/N:_** _Firstly, I want to give a HUGE thank you to_ ** _Lura Elsworth_** _and_ ** _Keelan1210_** _for the continued support. And another small thanks also goes out to my lovely guest reviewer_ ** _syima_** _!_

 _This chapter/story also starts to show my other OC, Shima, in a bigger role. So, if you have yet to read her profile, please do so._

* * *

 _Timeline: End of March into Early April_

' _It's not even that warm out!'_ Akito thought, raising an eyebrow as she watched Tedachi throw his shirt to the side as he moved around in the garden. She had instructed him to pull weeds and straighten things up since she couldn't do it herself that day despite the unusual warmth.

' _But…Maybe I shouldn't complain…He_ _ **is**_ _good-looking. And all the physical labour is doing some good. What I wouldn't give to…'_ She told herself, the thought trailing off as she laid her head on her arms, which were resting on the window sill, and simply watched. Admiring the way each part of him moved as he worked, and unconsciously letting out a breath as she focused on the way his chest tightened with every breath he took.

"Akito?" Shima called as she carefully slid open the door, head tilting in curiosity at the sight before her. "What are you doing?" She asked.

Akito blinked, as if coming out of a trance, taking a moment to register the voice before her head shot up and she stood to slam the window shut. " _Nothing_ ," She said, adjusting the blanket resting around her shoulders as she spoke. "What are you doing here?"  
"We're going out for lunch, remember?"

"That's _today_?" Akito groaned, crossed the room to climb up on her bed. "Can we reschedule?"

"Why? Are you sick?" Shima asked, following her friend's footsteps and watching as the smaller woman curled up and pulled the blanket around her.

" _No_. Now, _go away_. I want to be left alone," Akito snapped, following up the statement with a faint moan as she crossed her arms over her stomach, looking up when she felt the bed move.

"Someone's on her period," Shima guessed, setting a gentle hand on her best friend's back.

"Didn't I tell you to _go away_?"

"You want some cocoa?"

"Please. With…"

Shima smiled, calling out as she walked off, "Heavy cream and a pinch of cinnamon, I know."

Once in the kitchen, she brushed a few maids aside and quickly got to work throwing together one of Akito's few guilty-pleasure sweets. It was rare that she ever ate sweets. She never cared for them much. But when she did, she had a few signature options, including the cocoa that her best friend handed over minutes later.

"You can leave now," Akito hissed.

"Oh, no. You promised me we were going to hang out today. I haven't seen you in almost a _month,_ Akito! But, instead of going out, we can stay here. Why don't we order takeout and watch a film?"

"Why would I waste money on takeout when I have people that cook for me?"

"Fine. We'll let the cook make lunch. Now, I'm going to go set up the TV and pick out a film, alright?"

" _Fine_ ," Akito sighed as Shima exited, and then repeated the sound when she realised that, because she had intended to go out for lunch, she told the cook to leave early. After a brief moment on contemplation, she stood with a groan, stalked over to the window and shoved it open again.

"TEDACHI!" She called, waiting a minute and then repeating his name once more, watching as his head shot up before he made his way over.

"Okay, I'm not a dog," He replied as soon as he was under the window.

"Whatever," She sighed, noting that he had, unfortunately, pulled his shirt back on. "Can you make lunch?"

"I thought you were going out?"

"I was and now I'm not."

"Okay then. Of course I can make lunch. What do you –"

"Pork cutlet over rice and rolled eggs with spinach," Akito said curtly, closing the window again when she finished and leaving him alone and staring up at the window for a minute before he shrugged and walked off to start the meal.

* * *

"This is stupid," Akito commented of the film as she shifted, moving to lay her head on Shima's shoulder. " _Why_ would she spend all that time and money chasing a guy who just keeps letting her down?"

"Love makes you do stupid things," Shima shrugged. "And Ryosuke is _not_ a bad guy, he's just a little mixed up."

"Mixed up? Really, Shima?"

"Hey, you're mixed up and I'm still here."

"That's _different_! There were a lot of factors that –"

"Lunchtime!" Minori interrupted as she slid open the door, Kaoru at her heels. "You _did_ ask for orange juice, right?" She asked Akito as she and her coworker set the trays down.

"Yes. Thank you," Akito nodded, stood and headed over to table on the other side of the room, Shima following after hitting the pause button.

"This is _really_ good," Shima commented after a few bites. "Even better than normal…Did the cook change his recipe?"

"The normal kitchen staff didn't make this. One of the servants did. I thought we were going out, so I told the cook to leave early."

"Well, whoever she is…"

"He."

" _He_? Wait, a _guy_ made this?"

"Yes. And why is that a shock? My head cook is a _man_."

"A man who's been trained to know how to cook. Most normal guys I know just can't."

"Well, this one _can_. And he's very good at it."  
"Clearly. When you get a chance, tell him that I said this is amazing. And I want the recipe."

"Alright," Akito shrugged and turned back to her food, looking up when Shima spoke again.

"I'm just about finished with my novel," She said.

"That's a good thing, right?" Akito asked. Though they had been friends for a few years now, she was still unsure about Shima's writing and how the other woman viewed it. Sometimes she would tell her she was working on something, but that it sucked.

"Yes. I actually like the way this latest chapter came out. I can send it your way if you like."

"No. I told you I would wait until you're finished, and I'll hold to that."

"Admit it. It's _killing_ you inside."

"Shut up," Akito muttered, pausing to pick at her food.

"It _is_! You just want me to tell you, don't you? But you don't want to lose either…Well, what if I –"

The smaller woman quickly slammed a hand on the table, silencing her best friend before snapping, "Shima, I said _shut up_. And if I have to tell you _again_ –"

"No, no. You're fine. I get it," Shima sighed, knowing better than to push at the moment, quickly remembering that Akito tended to be more short-tempted when menstruating. "Why don't you tell me about what you're working on?"

"I have to meet with the accountants again and go over some things. Mainly the budget for Ritsu and Mitsuru's wedding in September. Plus, one of the restaurant divisions is planning on expanding and they want my approval for the new shop and things. Well, actually…They need it before I give them any money. Then I have a proposal somewhere for distribution contract of some sort…And I have no idea where the fuck it went to. Oh, and I have a damn date next Friday evening."

"A _date_ , huh? With who?"

"Eisuke Ikumi, he's Tarou Ikumi's nephew. He's a year younger than me, just finished up at an exclusive university and is starting at his father's division of the company soon."

"And how did you get roped into this?"

"Ikumi _said_ he wanted me to discuss business with him, because there's a merger between one of the Sohma companies and theirs in the technology sector."

"But…"

"I'm not stupid. I _know_ it's a date."

"Then why did you agree?"

"To keep face," Akito shrugged and finished off her juice. "They sometimes spread some awful rumours if I don't go out every once in awhile, and I can't jeopardize the business venture," She explained, thinking, _'Plus…That dinner with Tedachi probably made them suspicious. I damn well_ _ **know**_ _Aoyma did not keep it to himself. I guess it really doesn't matter, Tedachi and I_ _ **are**_ _just friends. But they don't know that…Nor do they need to, it's not their business.'_

"Should we finish the film?" Shima asked carefully after catching the displeased look on her friend's face.

"Sure," Akito gave a small smile, followed Shima back over to their spot and settled against her shoulder to finish out the film, being careful to hold back certain comments as the picture began to blur and she drifted off, waking sometime later when her body realised it was moving. At first, she ignored it in favour of settling against whoever it was keeping her warm, until the person spoke.

"Hi, Sleepy," Tedachi teased and Akito's head shot up.

" _Tedachi_?! Where's Shima?!" She asked as she shifted around and tried to pull away.

"Settle down, will you?" He ordered, frowning when she only continued. "…Or Don't."

"Put me _down_!"

"Not until we reach your room. As for your question, Minori said Shima got some call from her brother and had to leave. She said she feels bad for doing so, but that she didn't want to disturb you, which is why Minori told me to take you to bed."

Akito merely groaned in response as she gave up and settled back against him, biting her lip at a sudden pain across her lower back just as he reached the stairs. He took each one carefully, so not to slip or drop her, and then gently set her down on the bed once they were in her room, taking a minute to adjust her blanket and make sure she was comfortable before turning away.

"Wait," Akito said, quickly grabbing his wrist.

"Hm?" He turned to look at her, and gave a small smile at the way she briefly glanced up at him with shy eyes before turning them back to the blanket, a long pause hanging in the air as she contemplated her options and finally, softly spoke.

"Will you rub my back? Please?"  
"Are you sick?" He asked, quickly taking a hand to her head. "Should I get your bowl, or…?"

"I'm _not_ sick, Tedachi. I just…Can you just…? _Why_ are you questioning me?! You know what, never mind, this is stupid. Forget it. Leave," Akito waved a dismissive hand at the last word, hoping he would take the hint as she cringed as threw an arm over her stomach.

"Are you sure you're…?"

"No, Tedachi. I'm _not_ okay! I feel _awful_! I'm angry and hot and tired and bleeding and cramping and it _hurts_!" Akito whined.

"Oh…Oh!" He said, shaking his head briefly when he _finally_ realised what was going on and quickly moving to sit on the bed with her. "Come here," He ordered, waiting while she settled next to him before wrapping an arm around her.

"Lower and to the left," She ordered, giving a faint, content moan once his hand pressed into the mentioned spot.

' _This is weird…'_ He thought. _'I mean, I know we're friends, but_ _ **still**_ _! I don't think this is what friends do for each other…Then again, I've never really had any that were women. And it_ _ **does**_ _make her feel better…'_

"I had to cancel a meeting this morning," Akito offered up after a long, comfortable silence.

"Why?"

"I woke up with horrible cramps. They were far worse than this. I could barely move! And I feel _awful_ about having to reschedule."

"You can't help it if you just don't feel good."

"But I shouldn't be using _this_ as an excuse for anything! I absolutely _hate it_ when women do that! We do this every month! There's no reason we shouldn't have something figured out."

"Then why don't you have 'something figured out?'"

"Because they rarely get _this bad_."

"Should I get Hatori, or…?"

"He's away for the week. And I don't need him for this. Apparently it's normal to have varying cycles."

"Hmm…" Tedachi murmured, feeling slightly uncomfortable with the subject. While he had trouble seeing her in pain and wanted to help and make sure she was comfortable, he also did not want to be having this particular conversation. He wasn't sure if they were close enough for it…But, on the other hand he noticed that talking about it did seem to calm her down, as she instinctively curled up against him and nestled her head into his shoulder.

"So…I…Um…I bought a new game," He said, following another brief silence.

"Hm?" Akito glanced up at him.

"It's a mystery puzzle-type game. Apparently there's four different endings, but I can only seem to make two of them happen."

"Then just give up."

"That's not how video games work, Akito. You can't just give up. You have to see it through…Which you would know if you ever played with me."

She gave an annoyed huff in response, shifted and adjusted her blanket.

' _You are too cute,'_ He thought, a small smile gracing his features as he moved his hand from her back and gently ran it over her hair. While he didn't like seeing her like this, he had to admit that he _did_ like how it brought out her softer side. In fact, he had noticed that ever since she got over being sick, her guard had dropped significantly around him. She smiled at him more, and was less strict about her orders and his chores. Perhaps it was because she knew she didn't have to babysit him, but he also liked to think it was because he made an attempt to earn her friendship for no other reason than he found her interesting.

"I didn't say ' _stop_ ,'" Akito hissed.

"Right, sorry," He said with a light laugh, quickly placing his hand back in its previous spot. "What kind of meeting were you supposed to go to this morning?"

"One of the restaurant divisions wants to expand. I was supposed to meet with a realtor and then tour the building the owners singled out. But…We rescheduled for tomorrow morning."

"Hopefully you'll feel better then."

"I should. If not, I told Minori to pick me up something when she goes shopping."

"Oh."

"Lunch was good. Shima wants the recipe for your pork cutlet," Akito said to change the subject, sensing that he was slightly uncomfortable due to the way he shifted.

"Tell her she can't have it. It's a family secret," Tedachi replied.

"She's…Not going to…Like that," She said with a soft yawn.

He didn't respond, only ran his hand up her back a few times, the motion lulling her into a gentle sleep.

"Akito?" He asked, gently jostling her when he didn't receive a response and holding in a laugh when she gave a discontented whimper in response. _'Alright. I get it.'_ He thought, carefully shifting over, only to completely stop when _she_ shifted and wrapped an arm around him.

' _Shit…'_ He sighed, quickly contemplating his choices. If he stayed, he was libel to fall asleep too and knew she would be pissed if she woke up and found him next to her. But, if he moved, she could wake up and be equally pissed that he woke her up. After a few minutes, he settled for a happy medium, deciding to wait for a little bit to make sure she would stay asleep before trying to move again.

' _Why are you so adorable? Okay, I know you'd kill me if I said that, but it's true. The way your hair falls in your face when you're asleep, the blanket you won't give up, the soft noises…They just…Ugh! Why am I thinking about this?'_ He quickly shook his head at his own thought process, deciding to bide his time and push away his thoughts by looking around the room, actively ignoring the fact that he _liked_ the feeling of her wrapped around him. It was warm and comfortable and there was a small part of him that was amused with the fact she trusted him enough to fall asleep not only in front of him, but _on_ him.

' _Alright…Let's try this…'_ Tedachi told himself while he quietly and sneakily picked her hand up and gently moved it over to her side, pausing to make sure she would stay asleep and then sliding off the bed, stopping to move a strand of hair out of her face before he left, hoping that returning to his chores would distract him from his wandering thoughts.

* * *

Luckily, work proved to be a decent enough distraction for Tedachi and prevented him from thinking too much about Akito, who woke up the following morning feeling _far_ better than she had the day before and was carefully reading over and organising documents when he brought her breakfast into the main dining room.

"Feeling any better?" He asked.

"Yes, thank you," She replied, delicately picking up her teacup.

"I'm sorry this isn't much. Just the leftover stew from last night. Kaoru said you didn't eat more than a few bites and didn't want to waste it, so…"

"It's fine. I don't like wasting food anyway."

"Is this the place?" He asked, carefully picking up one of her documents.

"Yes. It looks decent enough from the ads, but I refuse to cut a deal until I tour the place," She explained, turning towards her food. "There's rice in this," She observed.

"Sorry. I found the leftover rice and mixed it in…But maybe I should have asked first."

"No. It's fine. I like it," She admitted, shooting him a small smile, unaware of the slight blush that graced her cheeks when he smiled back.

' _There's that genuine smile,'_ Tedachi thought, settling down to look over the other papers out of curiosity, slightly surprised when she didn't protest, only continued eating. _'How the hell does her brain work? Seriously! This is all numbers and tables…And none of it makes any sense…'_

' _He's confused,'_ Akito observed with a smirk, holding back a faint laugh. While she knew business simply wasn't his forte and that it wasn't fair to laugh, she was still amused with his expression and confusion. _'And…It's kind of attractive. The way his eyebrows furrow when he's trying to figure out my documents is so cute. He tries so hard to understand it and make conversation with me.'_

"Something wrong?" He asked, his voice breaking her train of thought.

"Hm? No. I was just…Nevermind. Should I explain those documents to you?"

"No. Please don't. If I wanted to learn about this stuff, I actually might have gone to university."

"You didn't?"

"No. Did you?"

" _No_ ," Akito admitted with a sigh. "But I was enrolled in some elite schools. Granted, all my schooling _was_ by correspondence, but I _did_ learn a lot. And…I _did_ take a few business courses a few years back when I was still figuring myself out. I had a friend help me through a lot of it too…But, once I got the hang of it and learned all the right words, it just…It came to me. I'll admit that I struggled in the beginning, but I pushed through."

"Wait…What do you mean by figuring yourself out?"

"Well, I –" Akito started, pausing to check her mobile when it went off. " _Shit_. Help me gather this stuff, the car is going to be here in five minutes!" She ordered as she shot up and ran off. She met him at the door three minutes later, after having checked and double-checked her bag and grabbed the cropped, white jacket that complimented her black, professional dress and matched the white butterflies printed at the bottom.

"Put your boots on, and I'll put these in your bag," He offered, holding out the shoes in question.

" _Tedachi_! I can't wear those boots to a business meeting!"

"Why not?"

"Because they're not professional! I need my flats," She explained as she pulled on her outer coat, ignoring the eye roll he gave before he turned back to the cupboard and exchanged the shoes, moving to slip the folder he had collected off the breakfast table into her bag.

"Thank you," She sighed. "Now –"

"One more thing," He insisted.

"Tedachi, I'm already running late, you can't…" She started, trailing off when he simply ran down the hall, coming back with a small bento box. "What is this?"

"I made you a snack. It's just a few rice balls…and a protein bar."

She groaned.

"That's right. I found Hatori's note. This is in case you get hungry and don't make it back for lunch."

"You didn't…"

"No time to argue, your car is here," He insisted, practically shoving her out the door and ignoring her protests as he closed it and headed off to clean up the breakfast mess, getting halfway through the dishes before the sound of voices distracted him.

"I saw him talking to her again," One of the younger maids whispered.

"Seriously? What is he trying to prove?" Another snapped back. "We're her _servants_ , not her friends! You know, I tried being her friend once, and she treated me like I was nothing!"

"That's to be expected. I heard she did _a lot_ of that a few years ago. Apparently she pushed a girl out of a window!"

"I'd believe it. She has no control over her temper. It's kind of disgusting."

They paused for a minute, presumably to adjust whatever they had been holding as he moved closer to the door, taking each step carefully and quietly despite the urge to stomp over and scold them. He rarely got angry in such a way, but something about their words rubbed him the wrong way. They made it sound as if Akito was some cruel, unreachable woman, when he knew the opposite was true. While difficult, Akito wasn't some horrible monster, she _had_ a soft side, it just took a little prying to get to.

"How much you want to bet that she _slept_ with him? And the only reason he's nice to her is to make sure she hides it?"

" _Right_. Like anyone really _wants_ her. If he did have sex with her, it was probably a pity fuck. I heard she's good at –" The girl stopped then, eyes widening at the sound of Tedachi's fist colliding with the wooden doorframe.

"Tedachi!" The other one said with a smile. "How are –"

"Don't. I heard you. _Every word._ You really don't know anything about Akito, do you? Yes she's temperamental and difficult. But she's also a _human_. She's allowed to have flaws. And you know what? I _like_ her the way she is. It's nice to be able to sit down and have an _intelligent_ conversation with a _real woman_. One who's not afraid of her flaws. And for the record, I'm _not_ sleeping with her. I have _never_ thought about her that way. Now, tell me, have you _ever_ talked to her? I mean _really_ sat down and had an honest conversation with her?"

The two women simply exchanged an unsure look.

"I _thought_ so. Because if you did, you'd know that there's more to her than her tough exterior. She's still a woman with feelings, it just takes awhile to get to them."

"Look," The younger girl snapped. "I _tried_ being her friend once. But, she would have none of it! She wouldn't go shopping with me or let me fix her hair, and then she _scoffed_ when I offered to paint her nails!"

"Because she doesn't really like things like shopping or manicures."

"Oh, yeah? What _does_ she like then?" The girl challenged.

Tedachi thought for a minute, smiling as he said, "Books. She _loves_ books. Reading them, discussing them, searching for them…Which means she likes going to libraries and book stores. Preferably with little cafes where she can have tea. Which is another thing she likes. She's very picky about her tea, and can tell the difference between flavours. She's also mentioned gardening once or twice, but it hasn't been warm enough for her to be outside, she says."

"Ugh. You are _such_ a suck-up, you know that?"

"Probably," Tedachi shrugged and headed back into the kitchen, deciding to ignore their whispers in favour of finishing up the dishes and then running off to do a few touchups in the garden, taking time to pick up excess sticks and weeds, making note of the plants that were starting to bloom and adding the necessary tools to take care of the plants to the shopping list Akito and the head cook had left him before he headed off to do said shopping, returning shortly before Akito did. He had just finished separating items when she sauntered into the kitchen and set down a now-empty bento box.

"So, you did eat them," He teased.

"No. The restaurant owner and realtor ate them. They thought they were some sort of offering," Akito explained with a sigh.

"And you didn't argue?"

"I didn't want to start off on bad terms, so I handed them over. I _did_ eat the protein bar, but it didn't do much."

"Once we put this stuff away I can start on lunch," The cook offered, taking a handful of items the same moment Akito stalked over to and opened the fridge.

"You don't need to make anything new," Tedachi informed him. "I think there's some pork cutlet leftover from yesterday. I could dress it up with some fried egg if you want."

"And more rice balls?" Akito asked as she pulled a purple water bottle from the fridge.

"Sure."

She simply smiled in response, saying when she hit the doorway, "Can you wait though? I'm going to lay down for a bit."

"No problem."

"What was that?" The cook snapped the moment she was out of sight.

"What?"

"Trying to take my job, are you? Look, I get paid come in most days to _cook_ and when possible, leave leftovers so there will be meals for a day or two. _You_ get paid to go dig around in the dirt outside. So, why don't you go back to that?"

Tedachi paused, stared at the other man for a minute before his eyes narrowed. "Because she asked _me_ to prepare her lunch. And when she was sick, I was doing _all_ of the cooking for her. Whether you like it or not, she _enjoys_ my food and I will continue cooking for her as long as she asks. Now, if you excuse me, I'm going to prepare some soup to go with the lunch she told _me_ to make," He said, moving to do just that and ignoring the dirty looks he got as he moved around the kitchen for the next hour, taking extra time due to Akito's request and throwing a look of his own to the cook before heading upstairs with a tray in hand.

Upon entering her room, he set the tray on her thankfully-empty desk and turned toward the bed, stopping to look her over for a minute and holding back a laugh at the discontented noise she made before shifting over.

"Akito?" He said, reaching to gently shake her.

" _No_. Sleepy," She protested.

"I know you're sleepy, but you have to eat," He insisted, moving to grab the tray while she groaned and forced herself up.

"What is this?"

"Your lunch?"

"Why'd you bring it here? I usually eat downstairs."

"It was easier this way," He shrugged, quickly exiting when she shot him a look that told him she wanted to be left alone, deciding once he was downstairs to finish off a few minor tasks before his own lunchtime, during which, he sat at the kitchen counter, alternating between eating and fiddling with his handheld video game.

"Why are you eating in the kitchen?" Akito asked when she stepped in, empty dishes in hand.

"I always eat in the kitchen," Tedachi shrugged as she crossed the room to the sink. "I like the quiet. The staff room is kind of loud and full of pointless chatter at lunchtime."

"Don't you get lonely?"

"Sometimes."

She frowned at his statement as she set her dishes down, and then made her way around to the fridge, while he sat back and contemplated his options, soon deciding it was as good a time as any to ask,

"About this morning…What did you mean by having to figure yourself out?"

At that, she simply stopped, saying nothing as she ran the question over in her mind again, unsure if she really _wanted_ to tell him.

"Was there something that happened? I heard some of the maids talking earlier and…"

"When you're finished…" She interrupted. "Do you want to go for a walk?"

"Um…Sure? Give me ten minutes," Tedachi agreed, turning back to his food as she left the room and headed back upstairs, returning exactly ten minutes later and letting him help her into her coat before they stepped out.

"Where are we going?" Tedachi asked as he shut the door behind them.

"Wherever," Akito shrugged and quickly headed off down the path.

* * *

After a half hour of mindless wandering around, they ended up at a park at his suggestion, and, after more walking, she finally settled on a bench and took in a breath when he sat next to her.

"Look, if you don't want to –" He started.

"What did you hear earlier?" She interrupted.

"These two women…They said you pushed a girl from a window?"

"That's true," Akito admitted. "I did that. And some other things."

"Why?"

"It's a long story, are you sure—?"

"Of course I want to hear it. I wouldn't have asked if I didn't."

The was a long silence as she gathered her thoughts together, having had run over the story a few times in her head and hoping that it would make sense even when she left out a few details. She knew she was taking a _huge_ risk in even _thinking_ about telling him this, as she was libel to lose the first real friend she'd made in a long time. But, despite that, she took in a breath and said,

"Remember when I told you that I fell apart after my father's death?"

Tedachi nodded.

"Well…When I fell, I fell _hard_. The _only_ person who ever really loved me was gone. My mother hated me, people around me were moving on…And I couldn't stop it. And the fact that I couldn't stop it only tore me apart even more, so…I started lashing out. I _made_ people stay by making them fear me."

"How does that work?"

"I got violent. Extremely so. Whenever I felt someone pulling away, I would lash out at them. It made them stay because they started to fear what I would do if they actually left. I used force and fear to bind them to me. I pushed Rin from a window…And Hatori…He's actually nearly blind in his left eye because of me," She admitted shakily, using all of her willpower to hold back the tears threatening to fall. "Years ago…He met a woman. He wanted to get married, and…I just…I couldn't take it! I couldn't let her take him away! Not when he'd always been there! So I attacked him and blamed in on _her_."

"What hap—?"

"She left. She couldn't take it and she left. After that…There were other things. I attacked a middle school girl for nothing. At the time, I told myself it was to teach that _boy_ a lesson…But now I know it wasn't right. Nothing I did was. But… I didn't know what else to do! I was _so alone_. And I hated it…I hated that feeling. So I made them stay. All of them. Except one. Her name is Tohru Honda…We're friends now, but a few years ago…I couldn't stand her. She moved in with Shigure….Well, he took her in actually, after he and Yuki – another family member — found her living in a tent on their property. Her mother died and her grandfather's house needed repairs and she's hardheaded so she thought she could live on her own. But they found her and I let her live there and despised myself for it. She just…She didn't understand. Could _never_ understand. She was an outsider. And she was _taking them all away_. With her disgusting kindness and underhanded tricks. She was seducing them out of my grasp, just like women do. Women…Awful, vile creatures I thought. They're disgusting. With their long hair and short skirts and all those little tricks they use to seduce men."

"That goes back to your mother, doesn't it?" Tedachi asked when she paused.

"Yes," She admitted with a sigh. "It's because of her and the emotional torture she inflicted on me that I grew up despising women. Plus, it didn't help that I had to pretend to be a man, which in turn told me that my own, _personal_ gender was unacceptable and wrong. I told myself I would… _couldn't_ be like those disgusting creatures. So…I took more out on the girls. Including Tohru. As the years passed…More of them started drifting toward her and one day…I simply snapped. I confronted her. I can't remember what I was going to do at the time…All I do remember is cutting her with a knife. I probably could have killed her, but…instead…I listened to her. Because…She _did_ understand. She saw…How scared and lost I was…How…I just…All I wanted was someone to love me," She said, trailing off her emotions flowed over and she burst into tears.

"Akito?" Tedachi asked tentatively, gently brushing a piece of hair from her face when she glanced up at him, her eyes holding the slightest hint of fear, as if she expected _him_ to lash out. But, he didn't. Instead, he simply wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a tight embrace, deciding it was best to simply let her cry out her feelings.

Though his reaction startled her, Akito easily settled into his warmth, hands fisted in his jacket as she sobbed into his shoulder. Ordinarily, she would have ran off, as she _hated_ people seeing her cry, seeing her admit weakness and give into her emotions, but this time, she couldn't make herself run away. She knew that he needed to see this. To see that she felt awful and regretted her past decisions. She also knew, though she would never admit it, that his presence was comforting. He had already seen her at her worst when she was sick _and_ had comforted her more than once without saying anything or telling anyone as far as she knew, and the more time she spent with him, the more she trusted him and his judgment.

After a few minutes, she shifted, and moved to lay her head in his lap as her sobs dissolved into half-hearted whimpers, finding a small comfort in the feeling of his fingers running over her hair.

"You know…" She muttered, forcing herself to sit up. "Tohru…And my therapist said that…Everyone putting me on a pedestal didn't help. From the moment I was born, everyone treated me like I was special…I was put above them…And as a result…No one ever treated me like a real friend. No one…Put me on an equal level. Tohru…She was the first one. And then there was Shima…And with their help…and some therapy …I got better. I put my life back together and resolved to become a different person. All the people I hurt? I let them go. I told myself I would let them be free and that, the freedoms they had would be protected. In order to do that, I backed off. I focused on my own life and haven't interfered in any of theirs since…Unless they ask of course. I'm planning a wedding for someone right now, and I've allocated money for several college funds. They're doing well without me…Something I'm still coming to terms with."

"Wait…You have a therapist?"

Akito nodded. "I don't see her as often as I used to. In fact, most of our recent conversations have been by phone. She calls every once in awhile to see how I'm doing. It was hard at first…Having to admit all this to someone on the outside…But she _really_ helped me work through it…And kept on even though I was stubborn. It was nearly a month before I told her anything. _Why_?"

"Sorry. It stuck out," Tedachi shrugged.

"Aren't you going to yell at me now? Or stomp off? Or _something_?"

"How would that help you? It sounds to me like the _last_ thing you really need is for me to blow up at you for mistakes you made in the past. I'm not going to lie, it'll probably take me time to process it all, but…it doesn't mean I'm going to stop being your friend."

" _But_ —"

"Shush," He ordered, silencing her by putting a finger to her lips. "Like I said, the last thing you need is to lose a friend. It sounds to me like all of that was in the past and that you truly regret hurting all those people. Not only that, but you decided to take that regret and let it change you for the better. In the time I've spent working for and hanging with you, I can honestly say, I've never seen that person you just told me about. Sure, you've still got a fiery temper, but that's just part of who you are and is easily dealt with. Do you… know what else you have?"

"What?"

" _Support_. Sounds to me like all your problems stemmed from a lack of it. But now, you have it And because of it, you've become far more than a sad, lonely child. You're the head of the family, an active and successful businesswoman, _and_ a good friend."

Akito didn't respond, only turned away in an attempt to hide a fresh wave of tears as a long silence fell over them while Tedachi simply sat, running over her story in his head again.

' _Why do I feel like there's more to this than what she told me?'_ He thought, quickly deciding to brush the thought off for a moment. Now was not the time to pester her for more information, as, their talks had shown him that she would talk and open up when she was comfortable doing so. If she felt like he needed to know more, she'd reveal it in time. _'Well…I guess it doesn't really matter now. At least…it's something. Poor Akito…I can't even imagine what it would be like to be_ _ **that**_ _alone. I guess…I should feel blessed that my family has always been supportive. I don't know what to say to this…Any of it. Except that…She's pretty damn strong to come out of it the way she did. Admitting her mistakes and actively working to fix herself…That takes guts,'_ He said to himself, a smile playing at his lips when he reached over and took her hand.

"I'm glad you told me this," He said once she turned to look at him. "And I'm sor—"

"Don't. Don't you _dare_ say you're sorry for me. I don't want that anymore. People have pitied me my whole life and…I want it to stop. I don't want to be seen as that fragile little girl anymore. It's…Probably why I work so hard. I want others to see my strength. I want them to listen to my story and comment on how _strong_ I am, not how sorry they feel."

"Alright. I won't say it," He said, easily dropping her hand and then reaching into his pocket.

"Thank you," Akito replied with a nod, taking the handkerchief he offered.

"Do you want a snack? I saw a crepe vendor during our walk."

"Um…Sure?"

"Stay here. I'll go get some. What flavour do you want?"

"Strawberry…Chocolate?"

"Sure," He gave her a reassuring smile and headed off down the path.

' _Is that it? Is he really…Not going to say anything else?'_ She thought, eyes fixated on his back as he walked away. _'Then again…He did say it would take time for it all to sink in. And…This isn't even everything. He just…He can't know yet. Not about Yuki…Or Kureno. Not yet…But I'm sure that time will come if he sticks around. And I hope he does…Things always seem better when he's around,'_ She smiled to herself at the last idea, crossing her arms at the chill in the air and then looking up when a shadow fell over her.

"Sorry that took awhile," Tedachi said with a shrug, handed her crepe over and gave a small smile at the grateful look she gave _him_ when she stood up.

"Let's walk," She suggested and he nodded in response, easily falling into step with her.

"I hope you don't mind me asking…But how often _do_ you talk to this therapist?" He asked carefully.

"At least once a month. In the beginning it was twice a week," Akito admitted, pausing to take a small bite of her snack. "But as time went on and I got better, I relied on her less and less. She's the reason I started gardening. She said it would help for me to find a hobby, something to put my feelings into when I was angry or frustrated. I told her I liked sitting on the porch and looking at the garden, she suggested I try gardening. Shima and Tohru helped me get started and, after some initial frustration, I fell in love with it. I really like being able to –" She was cut off in the middle of her sentence by first one person and then another smacking into her as a group of school-aged boys ran in front of their path.

"Hey! Watch it lady!" The first one shouted just as she tripped over her boots and hit the ground.

"Are you alright?" Tedachi asked, getting a scowl and faint gasp of pain escaped in response when she shifted.

' _Fuck…Really?!'_ Akito thought, her scowl darkening as she stared at her ripped stocking and scraped knee, looking up when her friend sighed.

"Come on," He urged, holding a hand out. "There's a little café just outside the park where we can sit down," He informed her, thinking, _'And hopefully get something to deal with that scrape.'_

"Stupid kids…" Akito muttered once she was settled at one of the small shop's outside tables.

"I'll be back in a minute. You can have this." He held out his untouched crepe to her.

"Why?"

"Because you dropped yours. Well…most of it."

She gave him a curious look as he headed into the café, eyes soon widening when she realised what he was talking about as she stared down at the mess on her jacket, groaned and took a reluctant bite of the chocolate crepe in her hand, getting through a good portion of it before Tedachi returned with a water bottle in hand.

"Sorry about the wait. This place must be popular, the queue was ridiculous," He said, pulling his handkerchief from his pocket as he knelt in front of her, meeting her eyes briefly to verify she trusted him before wetting the fabric and using it to gently wipe the blood and dirt away from the spot. "You can clean it better when you get home, but this will do for now."

" _Stop_ ," Akito ordered, grabbing his hand when he moved to her jacket. "You'll ruin it. It has to be dry cleaned."

Tedachi sighed and shook his head, muttering something about 'rich girl problems' that earned him a hard glare. Yet, she still took his hand when he offered it and agreed to head back to the estate, stopping to buy him another crepe on the way to make up for the one she had eaten.

"You didn't have to do this," He commented when she handed the food over to him.

"Yes I did. It's not fair that I ate yours."

"But I told you to—"

"Tedachi?"

"Hm?"

She turned, leaned up to put a finger to his lips. "Shush," She teased and they both laughed.

* * *

Two days later, after some much-needed time off, Tedachi sat at the kitchen counter, alternating between toying with his video game and eating, looking up from both things at the sound of a tray hitting the counter.

"Akito? What's wrong? Is the food…?"

"Can I sit here?" She interrupted.

"Huh? Oh! Sure. It's your house, isn't it?"

She rolled her eyes at his comment and sat, giving him another quick glance before turning to her own food.

"The other day…" Tedachi started cautiously. "You never finished telling me about how you started to like gardening."

"Right. I told you it was the therapist's idea, but I _hated_ it at first. It was really frustrating. But, Shima and Tohru made me keep doing it even thought I thought it was a waste of time. Then…My first flower started blooming. After that, another popped up and then another and…I couldn't stop. I _liked_ the idea that it was _my hands_ that made it happen! That they did something good! And the flowers were so pretty…Sometimes butterflies would pop in too."

Tedachi smiled as she went on for a bit about her favourite flowers and the various butterflies she remembered seeing.

' _She's too cute…'_ He thought, unaware of the faint blush tinting his cheeks. _'It's adorable that she likes flowers. I'm sure she'll be happy when it gets warmer and she can tend to more than the house plants and window boxes.'_

"Tedachi?" She asked, voice cutting through his thoughts.

"Hm?" He blinked, as if coming out of a trance.

"Are you alright? You look…lost?"

"Sorry, I was just thinking about some things. Mainly, everything you told me the other day."

"Oh."

" _And_ , after a lot of thinking I decided that I'm not going to let it affect our friendship. Like I said then, it was the past and it seems to me like you've changed for the better. So, I won't hold it against you," He said, smiling at her wide-eyed expression.

' _There's that smile again…'_ She thought as they both turned back to their food. _'I don't get it…Most normal people would probably run after they learned what I told him…Then again, I guess he's kind of hardheaded. But, that's what I like about him…Even if it makes me want to punch him in the face sometimes.'_ She sighed to herself. _'Oh well…He may be a hardheaded dork, but at least he's a good person.'_

"Hey…Akito?" He said once he finished, promoting her to look up at him. "Why don't we go out for lunch tomorrow? I believe I still owe you a visit to a regular-people restaurant."

"Sure. We just have to be back by four. The restaurant owner and realtor are coming for a meeting so we can close the deal and sign some paperwork."

"Of course," He nodded and threw her another smile, holding back a laugh at the sudden blush that appeared on her face. _'Is she…Just maybe…? Nah. Can't be. As if someone like her could_ _ **ever**_ _be thinking about me.'_


	6. Love Confession

_**Love Confession**_

 _ **A/N:**_ _Alright, here it is. Obligatory love confession chapter. It should be noted that from this point on there will be some pretty hot and heavy sexual content. Not every chapter will have smut, but several will._

 _Anyway, thank you all for the continued support._

* * *

 _Timeline: Mid-May._

Though he usually ignored the ringing and let it go to voicemail during work, something inside of Tedachi told him to answer his mobile, especially when his mother's name flashed up on the caller ID.

"Hello?" He said as he answered, looking around the garden to make sure he was alone.

"Tedachi?" Naoko asked, her voice cracking.

"Mum? What's wrong?!" He asked, a wave of panic washing over him as he caught the pain in her voice.

"It's your brother…He…This morning…There was…" She stuttered as she struggled to find the words and only ended up sobbing.

" _Mum_?" He insisted, waiting as he heard hushed voices before his sister's voice came over the line.

"Tedachi? It's Miyuki. Ryuji was in an accident this morning."

"What?"

"We're still not sure what happened, but his car is in pretty bad shape. He's in hospital now, we all are, actually."

"I'm on my way. Can you send me the address?"

"I'll text you," Miyuki replied.

"Thanks," He said as he hung up and took in a breath to compose himself. To say he was worried would be putting it lightly. He was absolutely terrified, especially because she hadn't mentioned how Ryuji himself was doing, presumably because they didn't know either. Without a second thought, he promptly dropped what he was doing and headed into the house, finding Akito meeting with a handful of the Sohma accountants in one of the side rooms.

"I'm sorry to interrupt," He said as he opened the door. "But, I need to speak with you."

He didn't need to address her for Akito to know he was talking to her. For a moment, she thought about sending him off, but stopped herself when she caught the tone in his voice and followed him without another word.

"What's wrong?" She asked carefully.

"There's been an accident. My brother's in hospital. And I…"

"Leave," Akito interrupted.

"What?"

" _Leave_. Go be with your family. I can relay the information to everyone else."

"Are you sure? I…"

"Tedachi," Akito said firmly, setting her hands on his shoulders. " _Go_. Your family needs you right now."

There was a long silence as he met her commanding gaze and contemplated his options, soon giving a nod in response and muttering words of thanks before heading off and leaving her to her meeting. _'I almost can't believe it was that easy. She didn't even question it! Then again, I'm sure she would have been able to tell if I was lying or not. Miyuki does say that I'm really bad at it…'_ He thought, looking over his sister's text on the way out and running over a few routing options in his head as he headed up the street, his foot tapping impatiently as he stood on the train twenty minutes later. He tried his hardest to swallow his worries, but couldn't stop the nervous habit from cropping up as the worst came to mind. _'Stop, dammit! You're making it worse than it has to be!'_ He scolded himself with a sigh, deciding to force himself into thinking about something else, if only to calm his nerves. However, the only other thing he could think of was the dark gaze of the woman who'd practically demanded he leave and go where he was needed. He was used to being bossed around with hard glares, it was simply part of the job, but this time had been different. Behind that firm stare he'd seen a hint of concern, and just a small smidgen of encouragement that let him know that it was okay for him to leave. That no questions would be asked because she knew he was telling the truth. He soon realised that it wasn't the first time he'd seen multiple, contradicting emotions in her eyes. He didn't know how he'd picked up on it, but he could tell the difference between her genuine and forced smiles. When they were real, her eyes lit up with nothing but pure happiness. It was a rare occasion that he cherished, especially when those happy eyes were directed at him, which seemed to be happening a lot more lately. At times he wondered if maybe there was something more there.

' _Wait…What the hell am I thinking?!'_ Tedachi asked himself as he shook off the thought. Of course she had been happier lately, everyone was. It was the warm weather and nothing more. _'She's probably just happy that she's able to be outside more…There's hardly a day where she's not in the garden, looking absolutely beautiful surrounded by the flowers and sunlight…She actually puts those flowers of hers to shame…'_ He smiled at the thought for a moment, the smile fading once he realised exactly where his mind was going as he shook _that_ idea off. _'Dammit! What is wrong with me? I shouldn't be thinking about her that way! Especially not at a time like this…And we're back to Ryuji. So, let me get this straight…I only have two choices here…Think about my brother or think about Akito…What the hell, brain?'_

* * *

"Tedachi!" Miyuki called some time later waving to him from outside the hospital entrance.

"Miyuki, what are you doing out here? Where are mum and dad? How's Ryuji? What happened exactly?" Tedachi asked, setting two firm hands on her shoulders.

"Whoa. One question at a time, little brother."

"Fine. What happened?"

"We don't have all the details, but apparently he was hit from the side. He has a few broken ribs and stitches. And a broken arm. But, he should be fine. The doctor said he could have visitors soon."

' _Thank God,'_ Tedachi thought, letting out a sigh of relief. "In that case, I'm going to assume mum and dad are inside waiting."

"Right. I came out here because hospitals can be too much for me sometimes."

"I know. You hate blood."

"And death."

"Let's _not_ go there," He warned as he reached for his sister's hand, a habit they'd had since they were little. Neither was fond of hospitals for several reasons, and they simply found it easier to face it together whenever they could.

After giving their information at the desk, they headed back up to the floor where their parents were waiting, Naoko immediately standing to throw her arms around her youngest son.

"You did come! They didn't give you any trouble at the main house, did they?"

"No. I was just told to be with you guys," Tedachi replied as his mother stepped away. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah…I'm doing alright now. I'm sorry about earlier…Everything was still fuzzy and they weren't telling us _anything_."

"It's fine. You don't have to apologise for being worried."

Naoko gave him a soft smile and ruffled his hair. "I love you."

"He's not a kid anymore," His father, Daisuke, teased lightly.

"Maybe not. But his hair hasn't changed."

"It's fine," Tedachi laughed. "If it makes her feel better, I'm all for it," He said with a shrug just as a doctor stepped out and motioned to them.

"And who are you?" He asked of Tedachi.

"Tedachi Sohma. I'm Ryuji's younger brother."

The doctor simply nodded and then looked at the group. "He can have visitors now, but it's going to be family only for a few days."

"Days? How long do you intend to keep him?" Daisuke asked.

"At least a week. There are still tests that need to be ran and we want to make sure he'll be stable. Sometimes accidents like this can have some after-effects. But, from the look of things, he'll be just fine. He's young and in good health, which works in his favour."

"Thank you," Daisuke said with a nod that the doctor returned before heading off. He then turned to his other children and said, "It'll probably be better if we all go in individually. Miyuki, you can see him after us."

"Right," Miyuki nodded and took her brother's hand again, leading him over to sit while their parents headed into the room. As soon as they left, Miyuki headed in, followed by her younger brother, who approached rather cautiously.

"You can sit you know," Ryuji said. "And you don't have to be so cautious. It's not like I can bite or anything."

' _Same old Ryu…'_ Tedachi thought, shaking his head with a laugh as he took a place next to the bed, where his brother sat, propped up by a series of pillows. "So…Stupid question. How are you feeling?"

"Aggravated mostly."

"What happened?"

"Even I'm not sure. All I know is that my signal told me to go, and as soon as I did, I got sideswiped on the passenger side."

"And the other driver?"

"I don't know. They didn't tell me anything. And, I probably don't want to know anyway. But, enough about this. Why don't you tell me how things are going for you?"

"Things are fine."

"And the job?"

"It's better now that I'm working outside. Staying inside all day during the winter was a bit stifling."

Ryuji gave a small laugh. "That sounds about right. You were never one to stay inside when you didn't have to. But, come on. It couldn't have been all bad staying in the house with all those pretty maids."

"Do you ever _not_ think about women?" Tedachi asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Yes. When I think about food," Ryuji joked. "Don't act like you don't think about women. There's someone you're thinking about right now."

" _What_?"

"I've been able to see it for awhile now."  
"But how…?"

"I'm your brother. Plus, I've been there. So, who is she?"

"No one."

"Are you…?"

"I'm _sure_ , Ryuji."

"Alright. I won't press…Mainly because I need a few favours. The arm I broke was my writing arm. I need someone to fill out some paperwork and take care of things at my job. Plus, my rent is due in two days and I can't very well pay if I'm stuck here."

"It's fine. I'll take care of it," Tedachi said as he took out his mobile and typed his brother's requests and information into his reminders.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" Ryuji asked, mainly for his own assurance. He absolutely hated depending on other people, but knew that he didn't have a choice in this matter. So, he figured he would make the best of it and at least make sure the important stuff got taken care of, even if he couldn't do it himself.

"What are brothers for?" Tedachi replied with a smile as he stood. "I'm going to go check on that paperwork. I'll come see you tomorrow with an update."

Ryuji simply nodded as his brother left to gather some information from the doctors and nurses, which he sat going through later that night at his parents' house, having opted to stay there due to its closeness to the hospital and Ryuji's office.

' _Man they're thorough…'_ He thought as he flipped pages, looking up when his mobile went off. He raised an eyebrow at the unknown number, but answered anyway, his instinct telling him that it was important.

"Hello?" He asked.

"Tedachi?"

" _Akito_?!" He said once he processed the voice. He then briefly pulled the phone away from his ear to glance at the number again, soon figuring that it had to be her private mobile number, as, he already had the number for the main house.

"That's a _lovely_ way to answer the person who signs your paycheck…" She commented.

"Sorry. I just didn't expect _you_ to call…" He managed to spit out as an excuse, trying his hardest to ignore the way his heart beat a little faster with every word she spoke. He was beyond touched that she cared enough to call him personally, since he knew she had plenty of other maids who could have been on the other end of the phone.

"I just wanted to know how things are on your end. Will you be back tomorrow?"

"No. I actually won't be back for a few days. I have some things to take care of for my brother. That's okay…right?"

"That's fine. I'll just have to rearrange some schedules and lists. You'll ring when you're ready to return, right?"

"Of course," He said with a nod that she couldn't see, thinking, _'I can't believe she wants me to call back. And, she sounds concerned…It's almost as if she's worried I_ _ **won't**_ _come back…'_

"When you do, call this number. I want to be the first to know. Some of the girls have a habit of not passing on messages."

"Alright. I promise I'll let you know."

"Good. Thank you."

At that, she hung up and he stared at the phone for a minute before quickly shaking his head and returning to the paperwork, trying to keep his mind focused on it and the favours he was meant to do for his brother until deciding to head to bed early, knowing there would be a lot to handle the following day. However, as he drifted off, he found that he couldn't truly push away the thoughts of a certain, dark-haired woman, especially when he found himself trapped by her gaze in his dreams.

* * *

 _For some reason, they were tangled up on the sofa in his flat, him hovering above her as she looked at him through her lashes, wordlessly giving him the permission he sought, wrapping her arms around his neck before accepting his long, lingering kiss._

 _He moaned against her lips as his hands slid up her back, smiling at her startled gasp as he took his lips to her neck and pulled at the fabric of the strapless, black cocktail dress she was wearing. Then, the satin barrier disappeared along with the rest of their clothes as they shared another passionate kiss, Akito giving a soft moan when his hand slipped between them._

" _Tedachi,_ _ **please**_ _," She begged, throwing her head back when he hit just the right spot. "I_ _ **need**_ _you…_ _ **Now**_ _."_

 _He responded by pulling her in for another kiss as he slowly slid into her, relishing in every little sound coming from her lips, especially when those moans slowly melted into his name as she screamed out her release, her eyes glassed over with pure pleasure and love._

* * *

Tedachi woke with a start and a groan as he put a hand to his head, the other twisting in the fabric of the sheets as he tried to steady his breathing.

' _Holy_ _ **shit**_ _! What was that dream?! Oh, God. How the hell am I going to face her after_ _ **that**_ _?!'_ He thought as he lay back down, soon finding that sleep wasn't going to come easy. Every time he closed his eyes, he saw hers, dark and alluring, until he eventually gave up and ended up asleep from exhaustion around five AM, only to be up again three hours later to gather up all the paperwork he had filled out before starting on the list Ryuji had given him, his first stop being the office in which his brother worked.

"Please tell me you're joking…" One of the secretaries said as Tedachi handed over the necessary papers.

"I wish I was, trust me," He replied as she looked it over.

"So _this_ is why he didn't come in yesterday! The boss was pretty worried about him. It's not normal for him to not show up, you know."

"I know. And, I'm sorry I didn't contact you earlier, but there was a lot of information to process."

"It's fine. Really. We just need him to fill these out…" The woman said, handing over a series of forms.

"Um…Is it alright if I fill them out instead? He broke his writing arm."

"Oh! Sure. Just have them back by tomorrow."

"Will do. Thank you," Tedachi said with a nod, placing the new forms in the folder he'd been carrying. _'Alright…Next stop, the bank…'_ He thought after a quick glance at his mobile, taking in a breath before headed off, getting most of the errands Ryuji requested completed and adding a few more to his list following his visit with his brother that evening, after which he sat in the main living area of his parents' house, filling out the paperwork for Ryuji's job.

"So…" Miyuki said as she entered, having stayed to visit after bringing dinner. "Who is she?" She asked taking a seat next to her younger brother.

"Who?" Tedachi asked, flipping another page.

"That girl you're pining after."

' _Dammit…Not you too!'_ He thought with a sigh. "I'm not pining after anyone."

"Yes you _are_! I can see it in your face! Ever since they told us Ryu was going to be alright, you've been thinking about _her_! You have that same spark in your eye that you had all through high school when you were crushing on that student teacher!"

"Don't you have something to do?"

Miyuki sighed, took his hand in hers. "Tedachi, please don't be like this. Just _tell_ me."

"If I do, will you promise not tell _anyone_? Not even Ryuji?"

"I promise."

He took in a breath as he set down his pen, an uncomfortable silence falling before he said, "Akito."

"What?"

"Her name is Akito."

"But that…?"

"I _know_. But I promise that she's definitely a girl. And a beautiful one at that."

"Where'd you meet her?"

"At the main house…She…Well…She's kind of…The head of the family."

"Oh, well…Wait… _WHAT_?! You mean like…The person who's in charge of the entirety of those people we're supposedly connected to but don't know because there's way too many people in this damn family?!"

"Yes. And, we're not really connected to them. I did some poking around. We're the farthest away from Akito you can get when it comes to blood ties. We only share a name."

"But…I thought the head of the family was a _guy_?"

"So did I. Apparently not."

"Oh, wow…" Miyuki muttered. "So…Tell me about her. What is it that you like?"

" _Everything_. The way she walks, the way she talks…Everything drives me crazy. Sure, she's strict, and can be kind of difficult at times…But, she can also be really sweet when she wants to be. And yes, I know she's done awful things. Everyone knows it. I don't know a whole lot, but from my talks with her, I gathered that who she was then and who she is now are two different people. She realised she was doing wrong and made a conscious decision to change. Beyond that…She's beautiful. Stunning, actually..." Tedachi explained, his voice soon being cut off by his sister's words.

"Let me guess. She has long, flowing hair that floats just so in the wind and her eyes are always sparkling…or something?" Miyuki teased.

"Wrong on both accounts. She actually has a boyish haircut, but she _does_ have these two long fringe pieces she plays with when she's nervous or flustered. It's _beyond_ adorable. And her eyes are black. They're dark and deep and have a habit of betraying her when she's trying to hide her feelings."

As soon as he finished speaking, his sister threw her arms around him. "Oh my god. You're in _love_!" She declared. "You _need_ to tell her!"

"I can't do that! Especially not now! I…"

"Yes, you _can_. And you _should_. You've clearly got it _bad_."

"I _do not_."

"Yes you do! Did you not hear anything you just said?! You said she was _stunning_! And you can read her eyes! If that's not love, I don't know what is! _Tell_ her! The worst she can say is 'no.' Right?"

"I guess," Tedachi sighed as he turned his attention back to his paperwork.

"Promise me you'll at least try?" Miyuki said, pulling back and setting a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"I promise," He replied with a smile, shaking his head at her insistence. _'She's something else…But, I guess she is right…Then again…What if I tell her and she flips out and fires me? Hell, even if she doesn't fire me, if it creeps her out, then things will just be insanely awkward…And I_ _ **just**_ _started unraveling her…Dammit. Why is this so hard?! I feel like a lovesick schoolboy and I hate it…And I hate her for doing this to me…Oh, who am I kidding? I can't hate her. I'm stupid in love with her.'_

* * *

"So…His name's Tedachi…" Shima said the following afternoon, her voice cutting straight through Akito's thoughts.

"What?" Akito replied, quickly looking from the manuscript she was meant to be proofreading to her friend and then back again, gasping when she finally realised that, in the margins along with her reading notes, was _his name_. "Oh. That? That's nothing."

"Uh-huh."

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Because you're a horrible liar. Come on, tell me about him."

There was a long, strained pause while Akito considered her options. Throwing Shima out would only make her all the more curious, and she'd eventually get back around to asking, she always did…Just like her brother. But, on the other hand, she knew that telling someone would probably make her feel better and less…conflicted. Finally, she took in a breath and admitted, "He works for me. He started just after New Years and is just kind of…I guess you could say an all-purpose worker. We just stick him where we need him, though since it's gotten warm, he seems to prefer being outside and has been doing yard work."

"Is he hot?" Shima cut in, holding back the urge to laugh at the obvious, sudden blush that crept up on the other woman's face. "I'm going to take that as a 'yes.'"

"He…He's fucking _gorgeous_ ," Akito admitted, her hands twisting nervously in the fabric of her skirt. "Dark hair that frames his face ever so gently…And hangs over his eyes slightly. I can't tell you how many times I've had to resist the urge to reach over and push it out of his face, just for an excuse to touch him…To look into those eyes that just…" She paused. "Listen to me. I sound like an idiot."

Shima smiled and reached across the table, placing her hand gently over Akito's. "You're not an idiot. You're just in love."

The moment she processed the words, Akito hit the floor.

' _Uh…Well…that's one way to take it…'_ Shima thought, as she leaned over the table, wondering if she should intervene and then slowly retreating to her spot when her friend finally came to and forced herself back up. "Are you okay?"

" _No_. I'm not. I feel like an idiot."

"Why?"

"Because…I don't understand this. _At all_. He's kind and caring and hard working, but at the same time, he gets on my last nerve with his teasing and that goofy smile. I feel like I want to punch him in the face, but at the same time, I just want to grab a hold of him and kiss him senseless. He makes me an emotional mess and I _hate_ it! Especially since I know…I can't have him."

"What? Why?"

"I don't deserve him," Akito replied as she pulled her knees to her chest and put her head down, trying unsuccessfully to hold back the tears. "I'm twisted and messed up and just…awful. I've hurt so many people…He's the _last_ person I should be pining after. He's _way_ too good for me," She said, letting out a surprised gasp when Shima threw her arms around her.

"Don't say that. Don't you _ever_ say that! You'll never get anywhere if you keep thinking that! Yes, you're messed up, but _so what_?! Who in this family isn't?"

"But…"

" _NO_. You stop it. You're in a much better place than you were years ago. You've owned up to your mistakes and have taken steps to fix them. And besides, who's to say that he can't be a part of that? But, you'll never know until you try. Promise me you'll at least try."

"I'm not sure if…"

" _Promise me_ ," Shima insisted, pulling back to look her in the eyes, smiling inside when she got a weak nod in response. _'Well…That's a start.'_

* * *

Two days later, Tedachi returned to the main house, slightly relieved to have the distraction of work, but equally nervous about being around the woman who'd been plaguing his dreams for the past three nights.

"Tedachi! You're back!" Minori greeted when he stepped in the door.

"Yeah. Sorry for leaving so unexpectedly," He said with a shrug.

"It's okay. Akito told us you had a family emergency."

"There was an accident and my brother is in hospital," He explained as they headed down a hallway.

"Oh, wow. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. He's going to be fine. It was nothing too major, just some stitches, broken ribs and a broken arm. They said he'll probably be discharged next week once they finish their tests and observations."

"Well that's good."

"He's making the best of it too…He's got the nurses going on food runs and already has three dates scheduled for when he gets out."

Minori simply laughed. "Oh, wow…"

"That's normal for Ryu though," Tedachi replied, picking up his written chore list as he finished speaking. "Where's Akito, by the way?"

"Probably still sleeping," Minori said with a shrug, moving to the refrigerator to decide on breakfast ingredients.

"But…It's nine already."

"I don't think she slept well last night. She threw her mobile at the wall this morning when the alarm sequence went off. So, I figured it was better to leave her alone."

"I'll take that as a warning," He noted with a nod as he headed off, pausing partway through his cleaning when he heard footsteps above, followed by running water.

' _So she's finally up, huh? I wonder what's been bothering her, if anything…Maybe she just had a bad night? Is it wrong to hope that she'll be happy to see me? She did sound rather happy on the phone last night…'_ He thought, stopping himself when he realised where his train of thought was going and quickly shaking his head. _'Who am I kidding? She could've been happy about anything! I did hear giggling in the background…Maybe she had a friend over? Why does it even matter to me? Because…I love her. Man, this is going to make things awkward…Maybe it would just be better if I got it out of the way? I could try and catch her when she comes downstairs…But then again, she's not always in the best mood when she wakes up…Besides there's always someone talking to her at breakfast. It's better if I wait until she's alone…But then…What will I say exactly? I mean, I can't exactly just walk up to the head of the family and tell her I'm in love with her. It would probably be disrespectful…Then again…Hiding it isn't helping either. And it can't be that hard, can it? All I have to do is get her alone and just say, 'Akito, I love you.' Simple, right?'_ He paused as he mulled over his thoughts one more time, ultimately deciding to give up for the time being and focus on his busier tasks outdoors, which proved to be a decent distraction until he heard the faint shuffle of footsteps behind him as he threw handful of fish food into the koi pond. He waited a minute to make sure he wasn't hearing things and finally turned when he realised he was being watched. He then got up without another word and casually made his way up to the porch, where Akito was leaning against one of the support beams. "I haven't seen you all day. I was starting to think you were dead," He teased lightly, noting the unusual aura of awkwardness around them.

"I've been…busy is all," Akito shrugged. "So…How are things back home?"

"They're alright. My brother is doing much better now."

"That's good…I guess."

There was a long pause as the awkward tension rose and Tedachi racked his brain for something to say as she turned away, finally blurting out, "Something else happened too. I ran into an old friend of mine…An ex-girlfriend actually." He said, which wasn't a lie. He _had_ run into one of his girlfriends while he was away, and she had hit on him…in the most conspicuous way possible. It wasn't really something Akito needed to know, but he figured that he might as well finish the thought, especially when he caught the anger in her eyes, one that seemed to be mixed with…jealousy?

' _Why is he telling me this?!'_ She thought, using all of her willpower to not lash out at him. She wasn't even sure why she was angry. There was absolutely no reason for her to be jealous. It's not like he was hers anyway. And yet…Just the _idea_ of another woman making a pass at him made her blood boil.

"I ran into her while running errands for my parents," He continued. "She was telling me about her bad breakup and how three years of hell with this other guy made her realise how much she appreciated me. In fact, she said she regrets leaving me and asked if I'd give her another chance, especially now that we've grown up a little bit. And…I'm considering it. She seemed serious and it's not like we left on horrible terms or anything."

" _Fine_. Do what you want. I don't care," Akito replied, trying her best to sound indifferent.

"You don't care, really?" Tedachi raised an eyebrow as he glanced at her clenched hands that told him otherwise, one of which was twisted in the fabric of her dress. He then let out a small sigh as he stepped up and closed the distance between them, dropping all of his conflicting thoughts and letting his instinct take over as he declared, "Then I guess you won't care if I do this either…"

As soon as she glanced up, any thought she had was forced out of her mind as he gently pressed his lips to hers in a quick, almost chaste kiss that he had to force himself away from, afraid that if he continued, he wouldn't be able to stop.

Once he pulled away, Akito simply stood, staring at him for a moment.

Then, before either of them knew what was happening, she quickly, violently grabbed his shirt, pulling him back to her and practically assaulting his lips with hers.

' _Holy SHIT,'_ Was his only thought as he indulged her, letting her force her way into his mouth and only breaking apart when he had to breathe. "I thought you didn't care?" He asked breathlessly.

"You know _damn_ well that's a lie! I _care_. I care way too much," She spat, looking up at him through tear-filled eyes. "I'm stupid in love with you and I don't know how or why…But…" She trailed off as she finally let the tears fall, burying her face into his chest as he set a gentle hand on her back.

' _After all the time I spent thinking…dreaming…_ _ **wanting**_ _…She's been chasing after me this whole time…I'm not sure how I feel about this. I mean, I guess I'm happy that she feels this way…It'll make this…a lot easier…'_ He thought, taking in a breath before he finally admitted, "It's okay…I'm stupid in love with you too."

Akito said nothing, eyes widening as she looked up and then moved to kiss him again, softer this time, but just as deep, following it up with an even softer kiss as she realised the reality of the situation and forced herself to speak again.

"You need to leave," She said.

"What?" He asked, not sure if he should be hurt or confused. The head of the family had just told him she was in love with him…And now that he'd reciprocated…She was telling him to leave?

"Because if you stay here…I'm not going to be able to let you go," Akito explained, earning a raised eyebrow in response.

"And that's a bad thing?"

"I am… _awful_. And evil and twisted in ways you'll never begin to understand. You don't need to be here. I don't deserve this…I don't deserve you. You're too good of a person to get tangled up with me."

"And that is exactly why I need to be here."

At that, her head shot up.

"I don't know a whole lot about what happened, but what I do know is that the person I heard about in those stories and the person standing here are two different people. You're doing _much_ better now, but even I know you're still not all the way there, which is why I need to be here. With you. I'm good for you in ways _you'll_ never begin to understand. And, on top of all that, I love you. And that's all the reason I need to stay."

"Tedachi?"

"Hm?"

"Will you…Kiss me again?"

He simply smiled in response before giving in to her request as she finally let go of his shirt and moved to wrap her arms around his neck as his settled on her waist, and he gently urged her to deepen the kiss, running his hands up her sides and gently nipping at her lower lip until she finally relented and let him have control as their tongues danced around each other…softly, intimately.

When they broke apart, he barely had a chance to breathe before she pulled him back to her, part of her wanting to make sure that this was real…That it wasn't another one of those dreams she'd been having. She then decided that it _had_ to be real…Because her dreams had never felt _this_ good. It was almost too much for her to handle. She couldn't remember the last time she had felt like this…if ever. Sure, she'd been kissed before, but never like this. He was passionate, yet gentle…Not wanting to press too far too fast. However, she knew it was far too late to think about that as she gave a soft moan against his lips, all of her going hot as she whispered,

"Upstairs… _now_."

At that, he abruptly pulled away and stared at her a minute, wondering if he'd heard her right. "But we only just…" He tried to retort.

"It wasn't a question," She decided, her hands returning to his shirt as she pulled him in for another kiss and carefully backed up into the house.

"But the others…"

"…Are all on lunch."

* * *

Once they were past the bedroom door, Tedachi realised that he wasn't entirely sure how they got upstairs, especially without being caught. But he soon realised it didn't matter as she turned towards him after closing the door and threw her arms around him, dragging him into an eager kiss that he resisted as a tease as he pushed her up against the door, getting an aggravated sigh in response as she pressed harder, biting at his lower lip until he finally gave in, their tongues engaging in a brief battle for dominance that she ultimately won as he turned his attention to her clothes and began fiddling with the buttons on her light-blue sundress.

While he pulled at buttons, she grabbed the hem of his shirt as they shared a series of hot, deep kisses, tugging at it when wouldn't take the hint. Her hands wanted – no, needed – flesh. His flesh. She needed to touch it, possess it… _revel_ in it. It had been a _long_ time since she'd been intimate with anyone and her senses were reeling. Every touch, every breath sent a pleasant shiver up her spine.

"You're impatient," Tedachi teased, pausing to finally pull his shirt off after she scowled at it, secretly hiding his own impatience. He hadn't been with anyone in awhile either, and was caught between savouring every moment and simply ripping her clothes off and taking her against the door. However, he quickly realised that it was more important to make sure _she_ was comfortable with this and resolved to be slightly gentler than that.

"A little," She admitted, drawing him in for another kiss, running her hands over his chest as he soon moved to her neck, earning a soft moan when he kissed and nipped his way downwards, stopping to suck at her pulse point while he undid the last button. He used his hands to part the fabric, gently pushing it off her shoulders and holding back what he knew would be a particularly loud groan as his hands met with her overheated flesh and the dress dropped to the floor.

' _So…this is what she's been hiding under those pretty dresses…'_ He thought, smirking against her skin and then giving in and letting out the suppressed groan as her hand tangled in his hair, pulling at it before tugging him upwards for another long, passionate kiss, gasping into his mouth as he ran his hands up her sides.

She wrapped her arms around him, pulling him in closer, reveling in the feel of his body pressed up against hers and his scent all around her as she moved to _his_ neck, worrying a spot with her teeth, leaving a decent mark behind just as his hands slid down further, settled at her waist and gently lifted.

Akito easily took the hint and wrapped her legs around him, eagerly clinging to him as he moved to carefully set her on her bed, soon easing himself on top of her and crushing his lips to hers without a second thought. He kissed her ardently, as if the minute away from her had been an eternity, tongue eagerly finding and curling around hers, drawing the faintest of moans from her lips.

"Are you sure you're okay with this?" He gasped, pausing to look at her. He locked eyes with her, searching for any hidden signs of resistance as she simply nodded in response. She wanted – no, _needed_ – this and she definitely didn't want to stop when they _just_ started. Her senses were overwhelmed, her body overheated and…she was okay with it. She wasn't sure if it was her past experiences, or simply the lust clouding her mind, but part of her _craved_ the physical affection. It was a reassurance. It told her that this was _real_ and not another one of her dreams. And if his eyes were any indication, he felt the same way and wanted it just as much, if not more, than she did.

He gave her another quick glance and leaned in for a light kiss, lips soon moving down to graze the tops of her small breasts as his fingers skimming over the navy-coloured lace that both contrasted and mingled with mint-green satin.

"Let me know if I'm doing anything you don't like," He ordered right before sinking his teeth into the sensitive skin, hoping that she knew that he _meant it_. The last thing he wanted to do was make her uncomfortable in any way. He wanted her to be _okay_ with this, and to feel like she could be honest and tell him exactly what she liked, or didn't like, as long as she wasn't simply ordering him around.

Akito responded with a soft moan, arched her back slightly, hoping he would take the hint as her nails met with and dug into his shoulders. She then smirked against his lips when he came back up to kiss her and slid his hands underneath of her, carefully searching for and struggling with the catch on her bra, soon earning a startled gasp in response when he finally got it and she realised as he slipped the straps off her shoulders that he was going to see her. Naked. He was soon going to know about everything she lacked, and the thought made her hesitate.

' _Wait…you_ _ **can't**_ _…'_ She said to herself, biting her lip as a heavy blush graced her cheeks. "I…I'm…"She stuttered, trying to force herself to say the words as she unconsciously let him slip the offending garment off and throw it to the floor.

" _Gorgeous…_ " He finished for her, knowing exactly what she was worried about. It wasn't that she was uncomfortable, not in this case, just scared of what he might think. He knew she had issues with her body, but as he looked her over, he had to wonder _why_ she worried so much. As far as he was concerned she was _fucking gorgeous_. And despite what she had said, she was _not_ flat-chested. Sure, they were small, but they were also _cute_ and perky and _very_ sensitive he found out as he leaned in and captured one, a long, but suppressed moan escaping her lips as his tongue traced the pebbled texture of her nipple.

Her hand found its way to his hair again, and he groaned when she gasped out his name and gently tugged as her back arched, pushing her breasts upwards.

' _She_ _ **likes**_ _this…'_ He realised, tentatively moving his own hand up to tease her other breast, gently brushing that nipple with his thumb while he drew the other into his mouth and carefully tugged, lightly at first, and then harder when her grip tightened, soon leaving a trail of searing kisses and lovebites in his wake as he switched to the other breast, giving it equal attention and relishing in the soft, sensual gasped that spilled from her lips. He glanced up briefly, knowing from the look on her face that she was holding back and forcing herself to be quiet because of their circumstances and while he understood why, part of him was also aggravated by it, and resolved to rectify it whenever they got the chance to be _truly_ alone. However, he was quick to dismiss the thought as he felt her hands move over his back, holding in a moan of his own as her nails dug in on the way down.

His own free hand soon slithered down as well, carefully brushing against her stomach before meeting with the waistline of her underwear just as he moved to suck at the underside of a breast, gasping when he was abruptly pulled back up by his hair so she could crash her lips against his in a brief, but deep kiss before she pulled away, leaned in to nip at his earlobe.

"I want to _see you_ ," She hissed, not giving him a chance to respond as she returned to his mouth, gently sucking at his lower lip and then resuming their kiss while her hands traveled downward.

"I got it," He said, holding back a laugh at her frustration with his belt as he rose to his knees, meeting her eyes as the heat in his groin was finally given some relief. Though the air was almost cold on his hard, flushed skin, he easily ignored it as he tossed the garments aside and met her eyes, which widened slightly as she looked him over, from the dark hair hanging slightly in his face, down to his chest, which was nicely toned, most likely due to his recent work outside. He wasn't a particularly large man, but he wasn't scrawny either, which was more than okay with Akito. Manly, but not overpowering.

She felt a heavy blush across her face when her gaze moved even farther downward. Her eyes shot back upward briefly and she moaned at both the sight of him and the passing thought about what it would feel like when he was inside of her.

"Someone likes what she sees," He teased, leaning down to catch her lips in a light, almost chaste kiss, descending immediately afterward, breath fanning over her stomach as he kissed his way down, hands drawing gentle, nonsensical patterns on her sides before coming down to pull at her panties, which he carefully, almost tortuously slipped off. He then decided to go back _up_ , carefully gripping one of her spread legs and lightly kissing a trail from the tip of her foot up her leg and to her inner thigh, groaning when he got closer to and could smell the distinctly feminine scent of her arousal.

" _Tedachi_ ," Akito breathed, biting her lip almost to the point of hurting herself to hold in the loud moan she _desperately_ wanted to voice when she felt his hot breath near her wet heat, finding herself unable to hold back the following, girlish cry of pleasure when his fingers finally dared to make contact.

Tedachi briefly glanced up at her, letting out a moan of his own at both the sight of her with her head thrown back, lost almost completely in pleasure, and the feel of her heat against his fingers as he carefully, slowly prodded, sliding them against the hot, hidden flesh of her body and taking in a breath at the hard gasp she gave when he brushed against her clit, soon deciding on keeping his thumb there to stimulate her while he slipped first one, and then two fingers into her, curling them and making her hips jerk downwards, taking the motion and her soft, desperate whimper as an invitation to continue.

"Can I?" He gasped.

" _Please_ ," She begged, nearly screaming when his mouth joined his fingers, which he kept inside of her to give her something to tighten around.

' _Okay, so she_ _ **really**_ _like this…'_ He decided, a hard groan escaping his lips when he glanced up and caught the way she unconsciously moved one hand up to tease her own breast, a soft, keening moan rolling of her lips just as his hand managed to find her free one, which was tangled in her blanket.

"Oh, God…" She gasped, groaning out his name as she felt the hard, hot wave of pleasure making its way through her body, her grip on his hand tightening suddenly.

He made sure to see her through her orgasm, holding back what he knew would be a loud, hard groan as he continued to slide his fingers in and out of her until the contractions weakened and her body settled.

He paused, took a moment to carefully lick each of his fingers, watching the way she observed him with her dark, lustful eyes.

"Now…You're _absolutely sure_ you're okay with this?" He asked in a whisper as he leaned over her. He wasn't sure why he felt the need to ask again, but he did and got his answer in the form of a hot, searing kiss that he took control in, biting at her lower lip until she relented, slipping his tongue in her mouth the same moment he guided himself into her, unable to hold back his long moan. And, though he had rather vivid dreams of this moment, he knew that they couldn't compare to the actual feeling of being with and seeing her like this - Hot, vulnerable and completely lost in her ecstasy. Nor did they even come close to measuring up to the sensation of being inside her, surrounded by her slick passion and tight heat as he carefully worked to set their rhythm, starting out rather slow. Too slow for Akito's taste.

"Harder, Tedachi. Do it _harder_ ," She begged once she mustered up enough strength and sense to speak, using all of her willpower to hold back what she knew would be a particularly loud scream as he immediately obliged, slipping a hand under her thigh to bring it back so he could lengthen his thrusts while she clung to him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and accepting a long, hard kiss as she arched against him.

" _Akito_ ," He groaned at the feeling of her hardened nipples brushing against his chest, soon repeating it when he felt her thighs wrap around his hips, forcing him to go deeper. He then became aware of the pressure of her interlaced ankles pressing into his back as she lifted her hips to meet his.

"You…Feel _so good_ ," He managed to gasp out, his voice right next to her ear. "God, you're _sexy_."

' _I…You really think I'm…?'_ Akito thought. She couldn't remember _ever_ being told she was hot or sexy in bed. She vaguely recalled occasionally being called 'beautiful' by Kureno once or twice, and couldn't remember Shigure _ever_ complimenting her in the bedroom. However, she was quick to shake the passing thoughts off. They were part of a past she didn't want to remember. Not now, not after having already decided that her past relationships _would not_ control her new one.

She willed herself to say something back, but found words impossible as she lost herself in the myriad of sensations around her. Instead, she returned the compliment by tangling a hand in his hair and forcefully pulling him into a hot, searing kiss that left _both_ of them moaning. Immediately afterwards, she felt a familiar heat cresting in her body, and though it made her want to scream out, she forced herself to use every ounce of her melting willpower to hold back and instead ended up sinking her teeth into his shoulder when the passion crested over and her second orgasm racked her body mere moments before he finally gave into his own, both of them taking everything the other gave and then sharing one last kiss as the heat began to cool.

' _Did we…Really just do that?'_ Tedachi asked himself as he looked her over again, part of him still scarcely believing that he had just had sex with _Akito_ of all people, the other part holding onto a newfound pride in the fact that he could make Akito beg. He could make the _head of the family_ want to scream his name.

"What are you doing?" Akito teased.

"You're _beautiful_ ," He blurted out, smiling at the shy blush he got in response.

"I'm sorry about this," Akito said, running a gentle finger along the bruise forming on his shoulder. "But I just…I couldn't exactly…"

"I know. And, I'm _really_ sorry about that," He said, gesturing to the equally prominent mark on her neck. "I wasn't thinking."

"No, you weren't," She said as and he shifted to lay down next to her. "Now I need to figure out how to cover this up."

There was a long, comfortable silence for a few minutes before he sat up, leaning against the pillows as he declared, "I feel bad."

She simply sat up, shot him a confused look.

"I've fucked you twice but haven't taken you on a proper date yet," He explained and she shrugged.

"Is that what you're…Wait… _Twice_?"

"Yeah there was…Wait…That was a dream," He admitted, cringing when she kicked him. "What was that for?"

"You were having sex dreams about me!"

"Don't act like you haven't had any!" He retorted, laughing when her blush confirmed his accusation.

"You're _horrible_!"

"No. I'm Tedachi…And you're Akito," He teased while she simply shook her head.

"Why do I put up with you?" She sighed.

"Because you're stupid in love with me."

"Unfortunately," Akito said with a fake eyeroll before kissing him again.

"Now, about that date…"

"Wait…You were serious? You would…actually want to take me out?"

"I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't," He pointed out as his hand found hers. "Does tonight work for you?"

"But, you work this evening…What's your boss going to say?" She teased, leaning in closer as she waited for a response.

"I don't think she'll mind if I bail out early," He teased back with a smile, leaning up to gently press his lips to hers. However, as soon as he did, he realised he probably shouldn't have as her other hand found his wrist, which she gripped tightly as she pressed his hands into the bed and drew even closer, if that was possible. Though he had fully intended to resist and insist that she slow down, he found it extremely hard to do so, especially when she was kissing him the way she was, but, he eventually snapped himself out of it when she loosened her grip on his hands. He bit back a groan, gently setting his hands on her shoulders just as her hardened nipples brushed against his chest. The feeling, along with her intense kiss, was enough to make him almost give in. _Almost_.

" _Fuck_ ," Akito groaned, scowling at him when he pushed her back, abruptly breaking their kiss. "What was that for?"

"To make you stop," Tedachi replied. "There will be no more of _this_ until we go out a few times."

"You can't be serious!"

"Oh, but I am."

"But…"

"No."

She made a move to speak again and was stopped by him putting his finger to her lips.

"I said, 'no.'"

"Oh, _come on_. One more time."

"Akito…" He sighed and then went to speak again, stopping when he looked up into the sexy darkness of her gaze and lost the entirety of his train of thought. "I…We…Should…Okay."

She said nothing and simply smirked, making a mental note to remember that look as he pulled her back to him.

While the first time had been slightly rushed and fueled mainly by their years of pent-up, sexual frustration, the second time was slower and more intimate, with her taking the time to return the favour, explore his body and understand his desires, later finding herself slightly disappointed when it was over. She wasn't sure if it was her frustration talking or the excitement of being with him, all she _did_ know as she found and slipped on her underwear was that she wanted _more_. However, that thought quickly lead to another and she soon found herself grabbing his wrist as he tried to make his way out.

"Wait…" She muttered.

"Akito, I have to…" He started, stopping when he caught the serious look on her face.

"Sit," She ordered, moving to finally pick up her dress as he sat on her bed, waiting and watching as she slipped her clothes back on and joined him.

"If we're going to do this…Then you have to understand that…" She started, pausing and biting her lip as she tried to find the right words. "We have to keep this a secret."

Tedachi raised an eyebrow. "Why?"

"Don't get me wrong. You're a _wonderful_ guy and I _am_ stupid in love with you…But, you're my _servant_ and I'm the head of the family."

"So…This embarrasses you?"

"What? _No_. The class difference doesn't mean anything to me. But it _will_ mean something to the other maids, and my business partners."

"So…?"

"Like I said, this will _have_ to be a secret. I already have so much working against me. I'm a woman in power who doesn't fit the mold they want me to. They keep telling me all I need is a man, a well-off, high-powered heir, to "fix" me and make my life complete. But, I don't want that. I don't need that. I need _you_. You're honest, and loyal, and love me for who I am…But, they wouldn't care. All they would see is this woman in power fucking one of her servants. My reputation I worked so hard for would be _shot_ and it would be nothing against you or me. And…I don't think I could deal with that. Not yet. And, it's not like I expect us to hide or anything. We _can_ go out on dates and kiss and touch each other… _outside_ of the Main House. And we will have to work around the girls…Which means I'm going to have to meet you places or you'll have to pick me up at Shima's…But I still want to do this. I want to make this work for us. It's been a _long_ time since I've been in any sort of relationship, and…" She paused when he put his finger to her lips.

"I get it," He said with a soft smile. "You're _not_ embarrassed to be seen with me or using me for a sex toy. At least…I hope you're not…Though maybe that wouldn't be so bad, you..." He trailed off when she smacked his arm. "Sorry…Badly placed joke. Anyway, I guess normal people would say to 'screw what they say' but I guess that's not really an option here. And…I guess that's okay. We just have to be careful here, right?"

"Right. And…It means I'll still have to attend events and dinner parties on my own…I may also be forced to go on a date or two with these prominent company heirs, but I can promise you I won't like it. I never do. I can _also_ promise that nothing will come of them. I've been cheated on before and…"

"It's fine. We'll deal with all of that when the time comes. I think right now I'm just happy you feel the same way about me that I do about you."

Akito didn't respond right away, only gave him a small smile as a light blush graced her cheeks. "Oh! And just because we have to dance around people and rumours doesn't mean we can't have sex either. We'll just have to be sneaky about it."

"Sneaky, how?" Tedachi asked, slightly amused with the idea.

"Well, we'll probably spend a handful of time at _your_ place after dates. And if we do it here, it'll have to be later at night. I could start scheduling you to work a few lock up shifts where you just don't go home…Of course that means you might have to sneak out early, but –"

"I won't mind."

She smiled and continued, "Daytime sex isn't out of the question either. We'll just have to be quiet."

"Which reminds me…" He leaned forward, his face just centimetres away from her. "What do you _really_ sound like in bed?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean that I _know_ you were holding back."

"Well…I…I…Guess you'll just have to wait and see, now won't you?" She teased, her small laugh being cut off when he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.

"I'm looking forward to it," He teased back once they broke apart. "Now…I really have to get back to work. And about tonight…"

"I'll text you Shima's address and you can pick me up there. Then, we can go wherever you want. We're less likely to be found and recognised in regular-people places."

"Sounds like a plan," He said, giving her a small nod before making his way out of the room.

Once he was gone, she sat for a moment, taking the day's events in and then sighing as she lied back on her bed and burst into a fit of girlish giggles that surprised her.

' _He_ _ **likes**_ _me! But more than that, he's_ _ **in love**_ _with me! And he thinks I'm beautiful and sexy And…Oh, God, the sex. I think that was the best I've_ _ **ever**_ _had. He's_ _ **hot**_ _and attentive and patient and damn good. Ugh! How long is he going to make me wait for more? Hopefully not_ _ **too**_ _long…Then again, maybe it won't be so bad if it's_ _ **anything**_ _like what we just did,'_ She thought with a smirk. Though he was gone, she could _still_ feel his hands on her, and quickly decided as she picked up the phone that she didn't mind it one bit.

* * *

"I still can't believe you _slept_ with him!" Shima exclaimed as she compared the two dresses Akito had brought over to her place that evening.

"Twice," Akito reminded her before turning back to the bathroom mirror to apply the lipstick her friend picked out for her. "Though it's not that surprising. I've also slept with your brother before," She said, capping the tube as she finished, having said it mainly to see if she could get a rise out of the other woman.

"Okay. If we're going to have conversations like this, you can't say things like that," Shima scolded, smiling when she finally threw one of the dresses aside. "This one," She decided. "I haven't seen you wear it yet."

"I haven't had a chance to," Akito shrugged, pausing to concentrate on her mascara.

"Well, now you do. What kind of underwear did you bring to wear with it?"

"There's should be a few sets in the bag. Though, I'm rather fond of…"

"I like this blue one. It's cute and flirty. The colour works really well for you too."

"Does it really matter? It's not like he's going to see it."

"Why not? You've already slept with him, so…"

Akito sighed, pushed the makeup aside. "He said no more sex until we go on a few dates. I think he wants to make sure this will work first," She explained, taking the clothes from her friend and quickly exchanging her borrowed robe for them.

"Yes. This works," Shima commented as she quickly laced up the back of the dress. "Doesn't this have a headband that goes with it?"

"It _should_ be in the bag. I don't normally wear headbands but I figured I'd bring it just in case," Akito explained, groaning when Shima moved to dig through her bag.

"What's the matter? You look great," Her best friend assured as she slipped the mentioned accessory into her hair, smiling at the result.

"It's just…Are you sure this looks alright? I could always find something else…" Akito asked as she looked herself over in the mirror a few times. "Something with sleeves…Or maybe…"

"Will you stop? You look fine," Shima reassured.

"Ugh! I don't even know how to _do this_. I've never been on a real date before."

"Did you and my brother seriously never go out?"

"Not really. I mean, we had dinner once or twice…But…I…There just…" Akito groaned again as she trailed off and stomped out of the bathroom, unable to find the right words.

"Akito," Shima called, quickly following the smaller woman and soon joining her on her bed, taking her hands as soon as she was settled. "What's wrong?"

There was a long pause as Akito gathered her thoughts, taking in a breath before she finally admitted, "Even though Shigure and I went out a few times…Once I came to my senses, I realised that…There wasn't anything there. Not really. I guess…I convinced myself I loved him because…He was there. He was always there….And, at the time, I was just happy he wasn't leaving…But…Then I saw that it was no good for me. That I would never move on if I stayed with him. And after that…The connection was gone. I still care about him…Just, not like that."

"And with Tedachi?"

"With Tedachi…I _really_ feel something. When he looks at me just the right way, I just…I can't even think. I _want_ him, Shima. All of him. And not just in a sexual way. He's kind and he takes care of me, but not to the point where it's smothering, and he appreciates my thoughts and opinions and…."

"Akito. Stop," Shima interrupted. "You don't have to explain anything to me. All I need to know is that you're in love and happy. Now, you're going to go out tonight and have a nice time and not worry about the past, okay? This is a _new start_ for you."

"But…"

Shima reached up, put a finger to her friend's lips. "No," She ordered with a smile, soon standing at the sound of the doorbell.

"You're not Akito," Tedachi said when she answered.

"No. I'm Shima. I'm Akito's best friend. I've seen you around the house, but we've never officially met."

"Same here. I remember seeing you in passing…And you were at her dinner party earlier this year. You have a brother, right?"

"Yup. Shigure Sohma. He's off at a pitch meeting right now though."

"Pitch?"

"We're writers and part of our job is to throw, or 'pitch,' as they say, ideas for books and stories to the editors. And they'll tell us what they think and if they like it enough, they'll give us the time and money to write and sell it."

"Well, I guess I learned something new," Tedachi teased. "Now, I hate to be rude but…"

"You want to see Akito," Shima guessed.

"Kind of."

" _Akito_ ," Shima called up the stairs. "There's a _handsome_ man here for you," She teased, turning back to Tedachi. "She'll be down soon…I hope. She's a little nervous about the outfit. Though I can't see why. You've already seen her naked. This can't be much worse."

" _Shima_! I am going to _kill_ you!" Akito snapped as she finally stomped down the stairs, hands clenched at her sides.

"Now Akito, is that anyway to behave in front of your date?" Shima teased, holding in a laugh at the slight blush that formed on Akito's face when she caught sight of Tedachi, who was looking her over.

"I know…It looks ridiculous, doesn't it?" She said after catching his speechless expression.

"No. It…it's nice. _Perfect_ actually," He admitted as he looked her over. The white, flowy, strapless dress fit her rather well. At her waist was a dark blue sash adorned with a silver butterfly clip that sat at her left. The sash complimented the blue butterfly pattern printed at the bottom of the skirt and the headband that had the same silver clip, also on the left side, resting just above her ear. In all honesty, he felt rather underdressed in comparison in his simple slacks and shirt ensemble.

"Alright, that's enough of that," Shima declared after a long silence as she got behind and practically shoved Akito toward him, smiling when he moved to catch her.

" _Hey_!" Akito snapped, Shima shrugged and Tedachi smiled, biting back a soft laugh.

"Let's get going," He said. "I picked a casual hot-pot place. I think you'll like it."

"Alright," She nodded in response and moved to slip on her sandals, giving a grateful smile to Shima when her friend handed over a handbag and navy cardigan.

"In case it gets cold," She declared with a smile.

"Thanks…" Akito muttered, looking up at Tedachi when he took her hand and carefully led her out.

' _She needs this…She needs_ _ **him**_ _'_ Shima thought, leaning against the doorway as she watched the new couple head up the pathway. _'At least until he hurts her…Then he needs to learn how to run. I hope he has a passport.'_

Unaware of her wandering eyes, Tedachi and Akito walked off in a comfortable silence until he stopped, leaned in to whisper in response to Shima's earlier comment, "For the record, I think you look _damn good_ naked."

He then laughed at the heavy blush that appeared on her face and before she could even think of a response, he leaned in and gently kissed her cheek, soon taking her hand again and then giving a smile that she returned as she carefully moved to link arms with him instead.

"People aren't going to like this once we get on the train," He pointed out.

"If they really have a problem with it, they can separate us," Akito decided.

He only shrugged in response and they moved on, him smiling at the thought that she probably would separate from him once they reached the station. She talked a lot, but he knew she'd still follow the rules of etiquette, it was in her nature to, given her position. A position that didn't really matter then, or ever. Sure, she was the head of a prestigious family, but she was also a _person_. A loving, intelligent, passionate woman who, out of all the people she could have, chose _him_. Part of him wondered why, but the other part did not care in the slightest. All that really mattered was that she had and that neither of them had _any_ intention of giving the other up. Well…At least not without a fight anyway.


	7. Pretty Little Psycho

_**Pretty Little Psycho**_

 _ **A/N:**_ _This chapter gets its name from Porcelain Black's song of the same name. I've chosen it as Ren's theme song. I'm fascinated with her as a character. Mainly because I would like to know WHY she's so messed up. There's an air of mystery around her that I really like, and besides that, she's fun to write. Getting into her twisted mind always proves to be an interesting experience._

 _Anyway, once again, thank you to all my dedicated readers. Your support is what keeps this going. And thanks to Ryan Erickson for helping me re-visit and edit a part of this._

* * *

 _Timeline: Early June_

' _Damn this season!'_ Ren thought as she sneezed for what felt like the hundredth time that morning, she then glared towards the open window on the other side of her room and cursed the young girl that had opened it that morning. _'She should know better!'_ She thought with a scowl, quickly standing to close it and then pausing when she heard a familiar laugh, the one that irritated her more than anything, and an unfamiliar voice.

"The woman at the flower shop said these were supposed to attract butterflies," Tedachi said, handing Akito a pink flower from the small bouquet he carried as they walked along the path. He had bought it on a whim on his way to the estate that morning, and made it a point to ask a few questions, knowing from a past experience that Akito wouldn't take the flowers without asking questions of her own, especially if she hadn't seen them before.

"And the red ones?" She asked.

"Do the same thing. Actually, all of these do. I had been thinking that it might be nice to section off a butterfly garden somewhere."

"I think there's some space somewhere on the side of the house."

"There is, right under your window."

"Why do you know that?"

"It's my job to know things like that. I am outside all the time after all."

Akito simply raised an eyebrow.

"Okay, I actually found out about that spot the first time I stayed over," Tedachi admitted with a shrug.

"I thought so. You should know better than to go snooping around when you have other things to do."

"You mean like you?" He teased, waiting as she paused and then took a minute to process the words before throwing the flower at his face.

"You're _awful_. Stop teasing me like that!" Akito snapped, though it was extremely hard for him to take her seriously with the obvious, heavy blush on her face.

It took nearly everything in him to hold back his laughter as he stepped towards her and wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her to him. "Oh, hush. You _know_ you like it," He commented, ending with a light kiss that drew a decent smile out of her.

' _So…She's found a new boy-toy…'_ Ren thought as she watched the scene unfold. _'But…Who is he? And how the fuck did she manage to find_ _ **and**_ _catch him? Stupid little whore.'_ At that, she slammed the window shut and turned away, though a part of her was stuck on what she had just witnessed, the scene replaying in her head as a sinister smile crept up on her face. _'She may be a whore, but he obviously cares for her for_ _ **some**_ _reason. This…Could work in my favour.'_

* * *

"Who is he?" Ren asked the maid who had been sent to serve her dinner later that evening.

"Excuse me?" The girl asked politely.

"The young man who hangs around Akito."

"I don't recall seeing her with anyone new…Unless you're talking about Tedachi? He's nobody really. He works here. He started right after New Years and does most of the outside work…Though, now that you mention it, he does seem to be getting close to her. They talk in whispers a lot. And, between you and me…One of the older maids suspects he might be fucking her."

' _I wouldn't be surprised…'_ Ren thought with a scowl.

"Are you alright?" The girl asked.

"Hm? Oh, I'm fine. Better than fine, actually…" Ren replied. "Before you leave, do you think you could do me a favour?"

The girl raised an eyebrow, but knew better than to ask questions as she waited and eventually was dismissed with a note in hand and orders to take care of it the following morning, which opened with a rather bright sunrise.

' _Sun go away…'_ Tedachi thought, groaning as it hit his face and he glanced over at the clock on the wall, gasping when he noted the time. " _Shit,_ " He said to himself quickly moving to sit up.

"Stop moving," Akito muttered, having been shaken awake by his sudden movement.

"I was supposed to have started work an hour ago," He informed her, noting how he was ignored as she shifted and moved to wrap an arm around him as she snuggled in closer.

"And? I don't care if you're late."

"But the others do. And besides, if I show up late, they might start talking," He explained, frowning when he noticed she had started to fall back asleep and then carefully jostling her with his arm.

"Stop that. I'm sleepy."

"That's what happens when you stay up all night."

At that, she shot up. " _Excuse me_? I believe _you_ were the one keeping _me_ up!"

"You didn't tell me to stop."

"Well…I…Uh…" Akito muttered, trying to form a coherent thought as she played with one of her long hair pieces. "Who _would_ Tedachi?! Especially when you…Well…"

"What's the matter?" Tedachi teased as he sat up, cupping her face with his hand as his lips hovered just centimetres above hers. "Am I _that_ good that you can't form a decent sentence?"

At that, Akito went silent, all of her going hot as their eyes locked. The way he looked at her, made it seem like he could see straight through her and surprisingly, she decided she couldn't care less if he did. In fact, she _wanted_ him to and had for a long time. If it wasn't such a risk, she would tell him _everything_. However, if he could see something at the moment, he seemed to ignore it as he pressed his lips to hers and pushed her back onto the bed.

"This is…" She began right before Tedachi's lips interrupted her. "…just going to make…" He snuck in another kiss right when she tried to make her point. "...Make things worse." When she finished her sentence, she even felt confused about what she had just been saying.

"What are you talking about?" He asked, his lips still achingly close.

"You're already late and…" She whispered, unable to help herself as she instinctively arched her back to kiss him. "And…"

"…And you want me to stop?" He inferred, slowly pulling back.

"Huh?" She breathed out in confusion as his body parted with hers.

"Are you saying you want me to leave?" He asked, more clearly asking her intention.

"What? Oh, God. _No_ ," Akito gasped, moaning as he leaned down, captured a breast.

"If we're going to do this, you need to be quiet," Tedachi ordered as put a finger to her lips. "You know it wouldn't be good for either of us if we got caught."

"No, it wouldn't be good for you," She teased, taking advantage of the distraction as she gripped his arms and forcibly flipped him over. "I'm the head of the family. I can do what I want. Including _you_."

* * *

"There you are!" Minori said as Tedachi reentered the house an hour or so later, having managed to sneak out and around without anyone noticing. "Weren't you supposed to be here two hours ago?"

"I'm sorry. My sister dropped by unexpectedly this morning with news about my brother. He was discharged from the hospital," Tedachi half-lied. In truth, Ryuji had been dismissed from the hospital, the _previous_ day. But, she didn't need to know that.

"This is the second time this week. If you're not careful, Akito is going get pissed off. She gets irritated with tardiness."

' _Except when she's the reason for it,'_ He thought as he headed into the kitchen to find and read over his tasks for the day, most of which were outside, smiling when he saw the last note, which read: Start preparations for butterfly garden.

"Well…I guess if I want to get there, I should probably start catching up…" He muttered to himself, taking some final mental notes before heading outside, stopping halfway through his assigned weeding when a shadow came over him.

"You're Tedachi, right?" A maid asked.

"Yes."

"I was told to give you this," She said, quickly handing him a note before going on her way.

' _Um…okay?'_ He thought with a shrug as he unfolded the piece of paper, raising an eyebrow as he read it over. _'It's not signed…And it's not Akito's handwriting…But she was told to give it directly to me. Maybe it's from Michiko? Or one of the other older maids? But of all the places to meet…Why the back of the house? I didn't even know there was anything back there! Akito seems to prefer staying in this part of the house…'_ He paused for a minute as he contemplated his choices, soon being broken from his thoughts as a stream of water hit his head.

"What the _hell_?!" He asked, looking up to find Shima smiling at him with a watering can in hand.

"You looked distracted," She said. "What are you reading?"

"Just going over my assignments for the day," He lied, quickly folding the note and sticking it in his pocket. "What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Akito?"  
"I am. She sent me to get more water."

"And using it on me benefits the plants…how?"

"I doesn't. But it does amuse me."

"Go back to playing with your friend," He teased.

"Fine," Shima sighed before heading off, pausing after a few steps. "Thank you, by the way."  
"For what?"  
"For whatever it is you did to her this morning. She's been in a really good mood all day, which is great since she was in such a bad one last time I came over."

"What makes you think I had anything to do with it?"

"I actually didn't…Until now. Your denial confirms it," Shima replied. "You fucked her this morning, didn't you?" She teased, smiling when she received no response as he simply stared at her with wide eyes. "I thought so. And even if you didn't tell me, she would have eventually. Us girls talk, you know."

' _God, she's…Wait, can I \classify her as a pervert? Does that even fall under that category? Oh, screw it. She is one. And she's almost as bad as her brother…if that's possible,'_ Tedachi thought, turning back to the task at hand before continuing on, his mind focused on both his job and the details of the note, which had told him to walk the back hallway at exactly five o'clock. Though he considered ignoring it, he decided to do as he was told, just in case the orders had come from one of the older women overlooking him and the rest of the house. They were second in command after all.

' _This place is quiet…too quiet…'_ He thought with a frown as he looked at his surroundings and passed several rooms, turning around when one opened. He had expected to see one of the older servants, but was instead greeted with the sight of a tall woman with long, _long_ , black hair that fell near her ankles. Despite the warmth in the house, she wore a long dress that covered her feet, though, to her credit, it did have short sleeves. And her eyes looked vaguely familiar…To the point where Tedachi swore he'd seen them before, perhaps several times over.

"So, you did come…" She said.

"What do you…Wait…Are you the one that sent me this note?" Tedachi asked, quickly pulling it from his pocket.

"I did. And I'm glad you got it," Ren said as she moved closer, not stopping until she was just inches away from him. "And now that I can finally see you up close…You're quite handsome. No wonder she came after you."

"Um…What?"

"Tell me, what is it you like about her so much?"

"I'm sorry…I don't…"

" _Akito_ ," Ren snapped. "Tell me about Akito and your connection to her."

"I work for her," Tedachi replied, growing increasingly nervous in her presence. He wasn't sure what it was about this woman that sacred him, but there was something there…And he wanted to run from it.

"You're a horrible liar," Ren declared as she promptly slapped him across the face. "You're fucking her, _aren't you_?! Now tell me…Why? Why her? Did she seduce you? Just like all the others…"

Tedachi was silent for a minute as he put a hand to his face, then he took in a breath before speaking. "I don't know who you are or what you want…But my relationship is none of your business. Though, if you must know, then _yes_ , we're sleeping together. But it's not for the reasons you think. I love Akito."

At that, Ren simply laughed. "You're funny. You know that? You do know that she'll just hurt you, right?" She crooned, gently slipping a hand under his chin and forcing him to look at her. "Me on the other hand…I would never think of such a thing. In fact…I don't understand who would. You seem far too kind-hearted. Someone like you shouldn't be allowed to be hurting."

Tedachi found that he couldn't say anything as he locked eyes with Ren, unable to look away. Or move for that matter. There was something in her gaze that stunned him and he was both fascinated and frightened by it.

"In fact, someone like you deserves all the praises in the world, thought you probably wouldn't take them. Your eyes…They just seem so sincere and almost…humble. Oh, listen to me. I sound like some love struck schoolgirl. But…I'm sure you're used to that. You seem like you'd have that effect on people. Even an older, more sophisticated woman like me…" She said, trailing off as she closed the distance between them and captured his lips with hers, hoping, urging him to take the bait.

' _What the hell?'_ Tedachi thought, unsure of how to react as he stood, completely stunned.

"Get your hands off of him!" Came another voice. And, before either party knew what was happening, Ren found herself being charged at and then shoved to the ground, looking up to find Akito glaring at her, looking as if she could murder her and not think twice.

" _Akito_?!" Tedachi asked and she turned to look at him.

"And _you_ …What did she do to you?" She asked, her voice and eyes unusually dark.

"I didn't do anything he didn't ask me to do," Ren cut in as she forced herself up.

" _Bullshit_ ," Akito snapped. "I know Tedachi…He'd never do something like that. _Ever_. This is all your fault, you twisted _bitch_."

"I'm twisted? What about _you_? Do you honestly think this man, or anyone could actually love you, you worthless child? What could you offer him, besides your pathetic body? You're such a whore, you know that? You know that there's nothing redeemable or likable about you, so you simply seduce people into liking you. I can't imagine what kind of dirty things you've done to him, or even to poor Shima. She should hate you and yet…she's always here. I can't fathom why, besides, well…you know."

" _Shut up_ ," Akito snapped. "You don't know _anything_. I…I _am_ redeemable! And she was the one who showed me that! Her and Tedachi. You…I can't believe you would…Why can't you just back off? Tedachi is _MIINE_. Do you understand?!"

"I do, actually," Ren said, moving towards her daughter until she had her trapped against a wall. "You're just a pity fuck to him. He hangs around because he feels sorry for you. In fact, I'm sure he sees right through you. And once it comes around full circle, he's just going to leave…like everyone else. And you'll be left alone and in the dark. Again," Ren finished as she turned and headed in the opposite direction, deciding that this was no longer worth her time, as she knew all the nerves had already been hit, given the expression on Akito's face.

' _What…just happened?'_ Tedachi thought as he attempted to process everything, soon forgetting about it as Akito slipped to the floor.

"Why…Why does she do this?" Akito cried as her hands tensed. "Why does she always say those awful things?"

"Akito…?" Tedachi asked as knelt down to her level, he reached for her, but didn't get a chance to even get close to touching her as she looked up and then threw herself at him.

"You…You wouldn't really…?" She said, struggling to speak through sobs.

"No. I wouldn't leave you….Not without a really good reason anyway. And I can promise you that everything she said was untrue. I'm not here because I feel sorry for you; I'm here because I _love_ you."

Akito didn't respond, instead, she simply gave a loud sob and clung to him, beyond grateful that he was there, even if he didn't fully understand the situation.

"Who was she anyway?" He asked after she had calmed down a bit, waiting while Akito forced herself up and then changed their position so she could sit in his lap as he leaned against a wall.

"She's my mother."

"Wait… _What_?"

She nodded. "And she's just awful. Ren is just…I don't even know anymore. She hates me. Remember when I told you I had to dress and act like a man for business purposes? That was a lie…Well…Half of one. My _mother_ forced me into being one since the day I was born. She _said_ it was because a female heir would cause problems…But it was all a farce. She hates me because she thinks I took my father away from her. She's been jealous of me since I was _conceived_. In fact…I heard that…She threatened _abortion_ if the house didn't follow her orders."

"What?" Tedachi said again, slightly taken aback. The idea that a mother could hate their child so much, they forced them into being the opposite gender…simply did not register with him, nor did the idea that a mother could be so jealous of their child they would threaten to kill them before they were even born. However, he also realised that it _did_ explain a lot about some of her mannerisms. The way she sometimes fretted over her clothes, her comments months ago about her mother claiming she'd never be a 'real woman.'

Akito nodded at his comment. "She wanted to be the _only_ woman in my father's heart. And eventually…I got sick of it," She said, knowing the last part was a lie. But…She wasn't ready to tell him the real reason. Not now. "After everything happened and I started to change…Part of me getting myself back together was owning up to my misogynistic tendencies and embracing my own femininity. Despite being forced into being a man…I _knew_ I was a woman, and _felt_ like one. I just…couldn't express it. I sometimes wondered what it would have been like to be free…And be able to wear dresses and look pretty. In private, of course…And…I…Well…"

"Well?" Tedachi asked carefully as he ran his hand up and down her back few times.

"I had…" She paused, buried her face into his shoulder in an attempt to hide the heavy blush on her face, saying after a brief silence, "… _Desires_. Womanly ones. I wanted…love and affection and more than that…I wanted…"

"…This?" He teased, gently slipping a hand under her chin and making her look up just long enough to press his lips to hers, noting how her grip on him tightened as his tongue slid out almost of its own violation, sliding against her soft lips and soon nuzzling in between, eagerly curling around hers and coaxing it into a slow, sensuous dance for dominance.

Akito shuddered against him, easily relinquishing her control and moaning against his lips as he pressed harder, deeper, claiming _more_ of her.

" _Yes_ ," She admitted once they broke apart. " I wanted someone to see and acknowledge me…Not as head of the Family…But a _woman_. One with feelings and desires…And then someone finally did. I had a friend I grew up with…And he…Well we…We had sex. He…was my first and it showed me what it was like to be wanted and desired as a woman. And…I liked it. It felt good…But something was always missing."

"You didn't love him, did you?" Tedachi asked carefully, holding back a smile at her light blush. Though he knew it was far from appropriate to think so, given the circumstances, he thought her slightly-reddened face was adorable.

"No…Not really. It was…Wait…Are you saying…?"

"I believe sex is better when you're mutually in love _and_ both make an effort. Being honest, _you're_ the _best_ I've ever had. While I loved my last girlfriend for awhile…She never really put any effort into it and…I might as well have just spent the entire relationship masturbating."

The moment he stopped speaking, she laughed.

"What?" He asked.

"Nothing," She muttered, buried her face in his shoulder, earning a raised eyebrow in response as he ran over his thoughts again and tried to figure out what caused her reaction, and groaning when he finally figured it out.

"Oh, real _mature,_ " He taunted, rolled his eyes and gently tickled her, smiling when she laughed again. "Feel better?"

"A little," She confessed with a smile.

He returned her smile and carefully, gently, leaned in for another kiss.


	8. Meeting the Family

_**Meeting the Family**_

 _ **A/N:**_ _I'd like to thank_ _ **Linnaboo**_ _for the reviews and for just being AWESOME…about everything. And of course, thank you to all my readers and reviewers who keep this going._

* * *

 _Timeline: Mid-June, Two weeks after the previous tale_

"I can't believe you're making me do this…" Akito muttered as she diligently followed Tedachi down the residential street where his parents' house resided.

"You could have said no," He pointed out.  
"No I couldn't have, because you _cheated_."

"What?" He laughed.

"You asked me about this right after you screwed me senseless! _Twice_. How the hell was I supposed to say no to _anything_ after that?!"

"So, I guess I have to find a new method of persuasion," He teased.

"Or you could just _not_ ask important questions in bed," She stated as she moved ahead.

' _But…where's the fun in that?'_ He asked himself, moving to catch up and quickly grabbing her hand. "Wait up. You don't even know where you're going," He said, right before a brief silence fell as they continued on, soon stopping in front of the house and then being greeted before they could even think about ringing the bell.

"Tedachi!" Miyuki called as she shoved the door open and bounded down the steps, not wasting a second as she threw herself at him. "You don't know how much I've missed you!" She exclaimed, pulling back to look him over.

While they exchanged greetings, Akito took her time in looking Miyuki over. She was not only considerably taller than her, but irritatingly curvy and filled out her light-pink sundress just so. She had dark brown hair that matched her brother's and fell down the middle of her back, matched with green eyes that almost sparkled, and therefore, also irritated her.

' _Why are you so damn perfect?!'_ Akito thought with a scowl, feeling rather small and insignificant in comparison.

"And you…" Miyuki finally said, turning towards her. "Must be Akito. Tedachi has told me _SO_ much about you. You're much cuter in person."

' _CUTE?!'_ At that, she almost snapped. Cute was something you would call a child or a small dog…Not the _head of your family._

"Is she okay?" Miyuki turned towards Tedachi, who shrugged.

"I'm _fine_ ," Akito managed to spit out. "It's just…Don't you _ever_ call me cute again. It makes me feel like a puppy and I hate it."

"Oh…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you. I just…"

"She's excitable," Tedachi said. "So excitable she didn't introduce herself properly."

"Oh! You're right! I'm sorry, I'm Miyuki Sohma, it's nice to meet you."

Akito simply nodded in acknowledgment, which drew a smile out of the other woman, who promptly threw her arms around her.

"Now that I've introduced myself properly, I can finally hug you! You're really small, you know that?"

"You'll get used to her," Tedachi assured as Akito shot him a nasty glare right before Miyuki finally let go and led them inside. "So…where are Mom and Dad?"

"I don't know. I only got here a few minutes ago myself and they didn't leave a note…But they did leave some cakes. I'll go get them and some drinks while you two get settled."

"Thank you, but I don't really…Like…Sweets…" Akito started, trailing off when she noticed that Miyuki was already gone.

"Don't bother. Once she has her mind set to something it's hard to change it," Tedachi informed her as he reached for her hand and led her to the table.

"She acts like a teenager. It's kind of irritating. Are you sure she's your _older_ sister?"

"I told you, you just have to get used to her. I'm sure it won't be too hard though, after all, you did learn how to put up with me."

"True…"

"Here we are!" Miyuki declared upon entering the room, food and drink tray in hand. "So, Tedachi…Why don't you tell me how you managed to snag the elusive head of the family?"

"You know, even I'm not sure…" He admitted. "It just kind of happened."

"He's right. Though, I will admit that there was something I liked about him when he started. I guess, overall, you could say it happened because he treated me like a person. Not a master or boss. He made it a point to talk to me and get to know me as a person," Akito explained.

"So, you were friends first…That's always good," Miyuki smiled and pushed a strand of hair behind her ears. "It means you learned to tolerate him before getting serious."

" _Hey_ ," Tedachi said.

"What? Did I hit a nerve?" Miyuki teased.

"You make it sound like I'm high maintenance or something," Tedachi said as he stood.

"You can be," Akito commented.  
"What?"

"You're so picky about where things go and how work should be done," She explained as he ignored both women and headed into the kitchen to retrieve the pitcher of juice Miyuki had left behind.

"I _know_ , right?" Miyuki gave a small laugh at Akito's comment and then gasped, when, in her excitement, she knocked over the other woman's glass.

' _Geez…'_ Akito thought with a sigh.

"I should…"

"It's fine. I'll take care of it," She said, reaching over the table for a series of napkins, pausing when she caught Miyuki staring at her intently.

"Is that…" Miyuki started, her eyes fixated on the tiny bit of lace that made itself known as Akito leaned over. "That's from Polaris' new spring collection, isn't it?! Let me see!" She exclaimed.  
At that, Akito immediately recoiled, wondering how she could possible know what she was wearing under her clothes from just the tiniest of slipups. " _What_? No."

"Come on! _Please_?! I've been dying to see it in person!"

"Absolutely not."

" _Please_? Just a little bit?"

' _I guess there's no harm in it…It's just us here and…besides, it would get her off my back,'_ Akito thought with a reluctant sigh as she carefully undid some of the buttons on her blue dress and slipped it down her shoulders.

"Oh, wow…it's really cute, but has a mature edge to it…" Miyuki gushed as she leaned in for a better look. "I don't remember seeing these rhinestones in the catalog photos though."

"Oh…Well…I added them."

"You did?"

"Okay, it was actually my friend's idea, but I arranged and set them."

"I think it adds just the right touch and…Wait a minute…This is from the teen collection, isn't it?"

"If you're about to make fun of me…"

"No. Of course not. It fits you really well, actually. And, you're lucky, you know…The things in that collection are a lot cheaper than the stuff I'm forced to buy. Plus, this light blue colour is _perfect_ for you, and this cut works nicely, especially with this lace framing your breasts just so…"

"She's right, it does look really nice," Tedachi commented as he reentered, holding back a laugh as Akito scrambled to pull her dress back up, holding it together with one hand as she nervously glanced at the ground.

"Oh, stop it. You act like I haven't seen you in far less," He said.

"What about the bottoms? What do they look like?" Miyuki cut in as she reached for Akito's skirt.

"Don't you _dare_!" Akito snapped, letting go of her top in favour of slamming her hands down on her skirt to prevent the other woman from lifting it up.

" _Sis_ , don't sexually harass my girlfriend," Tedachi scolded.

"I am not _harassing_ her!" Miyuki snapped before turning back to the task at hand. "I just…I _have_ to know! Let me see!" She then begged as she leaned in even closer and knocked Akito to the ground.

"Get _off of me_!" Akito practically screamed as she grabbed the other woman's arms and attempted to push her back.

"Not until you let me see!" Miyuki insisted as she wrestled anarm from her grasp and reached down, stopping at the sound of the door opening as a familiar voice called,

"Miyuki! Tedachi! Are you here?"

' _Dammit!'_ Akito thought, taking advantage of the distraction and using it to throw Miyuki off of her before fumbling with her outfit.

"Here," Tedachi cut in as he moved over and quickly adjusted and buttoned up her dress, finishing just as his parents stepped into the room.

"There you are. And I see you found the snacks," His mother said, a soft smile on her face. "Your brother called and said he would come by at dinner time, he got caught up with…" She trailed off as she scanned the room, her eyes finally registering Akito's presence.

"I'm sorry I didn't see you before! You must be…Akiko?"

" _Aa. Ki. To_." Akito corrected her, holding back her annoyance.

"That can't be right…I mean…That's a boy's name."

"Don't look at me. I didn't name myself."

"Naoko, you're doing it again," His dad sighed, setting a hand on his wife's shoulder. "I'm sorry about her. She doesn't always think before she speaks sometimes."

' _Like mother like daughter…'_ Akito thought.

"He's right. I've been rude. I'm Naoko Sohma, and it's nice to meet you Akito."

"And I'm Daisuke Sohma. I apologise that we weren't here to greet you when you arrived."

"It's alright. It's not like I was waiting alone."

"In that case, I hope Miyuki treated you alright. She can be a bit…"  
"Overwhelming?"

"Well, that's one word for it. Anyway, I'm still sorry. We were out shopping for dinner ingredients. I hope fried cutlet dressed up with eggs is okay…Tedachi didn't mention if there were things you wouldn't eat."

"That's fine. I'll eat almost anything," Akito shrugged.

"Good. In that case, we'll get started on this," Naoko said.

"Let me help," Tedachi offered, following his parents to the kitchen and leaving Akito alone with Miyuki, who gave her a devious smile.

"Don't even think about it," Akito said shortly, breaking into her own smile as the other woman's face fell.

* * *

"So…This is the famous Akito Sohma…" Ryuji said when he arrived an hour or so later, looking her up and down as they stood in the doorway.

"It's nice to meet you too," Akito commented.

"I've heard a lot about you. From my brother…And from the grapevine that runs through this family. Yet…The one thing I didn't hear…" He said, slipping his good hand under her chin. "Was how beautiful you were."

"Are you quite finished? Because dinner is ready," Akito said, slapping his hand away before turning to head back to the table.

' _Okay…He didn't say she was snippy…'_

"Ryuji!" Miyuki greeted her brother as he stepped into the room and she set the last plate down.

"Long time no see. How's the arm?" Tedachi asked.

"It's healing. The doctor said I should be able to get the cast off in another two weeks or so," Ryuji replied.

"That's great!" Naoko commented, setting down the last of the glasses as she spoke. "You know, you scared us all with that accident."

"I know and I'm sorry."

"Let's not talk about that right now," Daisuke said as he appeared and took his spot at the table as everyone else sat.

"Right. We're not here to relive that," Naoko said.

"We're here to hassle Chi-Chan's girlfriend," Miyuki teased.

" _Chi-Chan_?" Akito laughed.

Tedachi shot his sister a nasty glare. "I thought we talked about you _not_ calling me that. Ever."

"Oh, _come on_. It's cute."

"It is not a compliment for a man to be called cute."

"Even if it's your sister saying it?"

"Especially then! It's almost humiliating, actually," He snapped, pausing and then turning back towards Akito as she laughed.

"She's laughing at us…" Miyuki pointed out.

"I'm sorry…it's just…You sound like bickering children," Akito replied, trying and failing to stifle her laughter.

"They always do this," Ryuji informed her. "It gets annoying after awhile, actually."

"Oh hush, Ryu!" Miyuki ordered. "You're only pretending to act cool because there's a pretty girl at the table."

"No. I'm simply trying to prevent you from making a bad impression on the head of our family."

"Who happens to be a pretty girl."

"Okay, you know what?"

"All of you _stop_ ," Daisuke ordered, sighing as he turned towards Akito. "Why don't you tell us something about yourself, dear?"

"Like if you're actually a girl," Ryuji said, as he was honestly curious. Though Tedachi had said it over and over, he was still extremely confused as to how the man he had heard stories about most of his life turned out to be a girl.

"Oh, she's _definitely_ a girl. _Trust me_ ," Miyuki said with a wink, not noticing the obvious blush that crept up on Akito's face.

"Guys that's…" Naoko started.

"No. It's a valid point," Akito said, having gotten to used to the question. "To answer your question, _yes_ I'm a woman. And as for why it was a secret…My mother thought it would look bad if the family had a female heir, so she gave me a masculine name and forced me into living as a boy. But a couple years ago, I simply got sick of it."

"Oh…Well…"

"It was an adjustment, but I'm fine with it now. The food is really good, by the way."

"Oh…Thank you," Naoko smiled. "Tedachi was a great help. He's always been pretty good in the kitchen."

"Trust me, I know. He often fills in when my normal cook is out," Akito informed them. "He does a lot around the house actually. Though, he prefers to be outside."

"I kind of use it as a bargaining chip," Tedachi admitted. "The other day, I got one of the women to do my sweeping while I took over trimming the hedges."

"As expected," Daisuke said with a shake of his head. "Tedachi's always been one hell of a negotiator."

Akito raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yes, in fact…"

' _Oh God…He's going to tell that story…Again…'_ Tedachi said, sighing when his prediction came true, but then perking up as everyone relaxed and began swapping stories and making decent conversation right up until the dishes were cleared by his mother, who dragged Akito into the kitchen with her to help with the cleaning.

' _Why am I doing this? I'm the guest…'_ Akito thought as she carefully set a plate on the counter.

"You know I didn't just bring you in here to dry dishes, right?" Naoko said, handing over a glass. "I wanted to talk about Tedachi."

"What about him?"

"He's good to you, right?"

"Very much so. He's never been anything but polite and patient and had never pushed me into anything I didn't want."

"And you're happy with him?"

"Happier than I've been in a long time," Akito admitted with a smile.

"And he's happy too. I can tell. Which brings me to my next point. If I find out that you've done anything to hurt him and that happiness…"

"It won't end well?" Akito guessed and Naoko nodded, pausing when a hand settled on top of hers. "Look, I don't know what the future holds for either of us…So I can't promise that everything will be happy all the time…But I can promise that I will do everything in my power to make this work for us. Because…I love him. I want him to be happy too."

Naoko simply smiled, saying nothing as her happy expression soon turned into an intense stare.

"Are you…" Akito started.

"That colour…That's…Polaris' new product, isn't it?"

' _Goddammit! Now I know where the other one gets it from!'_ Akito scowled, slowly backing up into the counter as Naoko invaded her personal space and grabbed a handful of her dress.

"You _have_ to let me see it!"

" _No_ ," Akito snapped, quickly pulling the other woman's hands away from her. " _Tedachi_! Your mother's harassing me!" She called.

"Mom…knock it off…" Tedachi sighed as he made his way into the kitchen and pulled his girlfriend away from his mother. "I'm sorry about her…and my sister," He said as he led her outside to the garden. "They're both what you'd call…Underwear Maniacs. My sister gets it from cosplay and my mum helps manage a lingerie store. But, they don't sell anything as expensive as what you're wearing."

"I don't get what the big deal is…I didn't even buy this. Shima did."

"But you know exactly who makes it and what collection it's from."

"I do my research, okay? I don't buy cheap crap."

Tedachi simply laughed. "Geez…If anyone's high maintenance here, it's _you_. Custom made clothes, expensive lingerie…You're girlier than you let on."

" _Shut up_! You _know_ how hard it is for me to find clothes! And it's not as expensive as you think! Especially since all of it comes from a collection meant for high school girls!"

"Are you sure? I mean, some of the designs…"

"There's a reason I buy this brand. They don't treat their customers, even the younger ones, like children. The designs for teens are cute, yes, but they have a mature edge to them and the designers make good use of things like lace, rhinestones and layers. I have one somewhere that has purple ribbons for straps. And…why are you looking at me like that?"

"Sorry. It's just…I've never really seen this side of you before."

"What side?"

"This…girly one. I like it. It's _cute_."

"You know…" Akito sighed as she stepped back towards him and closed the distance between them. "You are the only one who can get away with calling me that."

"I guess I should feel special then," He teased, moving to kiss her.

" _Tedachi_!" Miyuki cut in from the window. "Hazuki's on the phone."

' _Way to kill the mood, Sis…'_ He thought as he turned towards her. "Tell her I'll be there in a minute."

"Who's Hazuki?"

"My cousin. She's from my mother's side of the family. She's in town and was supposed to come to dinner tonight, but got caught up with work. But she's free tomorrow and I'm off…So I was thinking we could go somewhere and…"

"I can't. I have things to catch up on. But…If she's come all this way, you can bring her by for lunch or something."

"I'll think about it," He said as he headed back inside and took the phone from his sister, making both polite conversation and plans with his cousin, whom he dragged with him to the main estate the following afternoon, ordering her to wait in the main foyer after he entered Akito's house and made his way to the adjacent room, where she sat twisting loose flowers into what looked like a crown while Shima flipped through a magazine.

"They have to sit just like this, see?" Shima said, pointing at the model.

"I _see_. Just give me a minute…" Akito muttered.

"Ladies?" Tedachi interrupted.

"Tedachi!" Shima smiled. "Akito said you were off today."

"I am. But, there was someone I wanted her to meet," He explained. "You can come in now."

At that, the door opened and in stepped a teenage girl who was quite tall, standing at 168 centimetres with long black hair held back by a headband and dark eyes. She wore and pleasantly filled out a simple shorts and tank-top outfit that had been matched with sandals before she entered the house.

"This is my cousin, Hazuki Kino, Hazuki, this is Akito and Shima Sohma."

"Nice to meet you," Hazuki said, her voice unnaturally bubbly. "Are you two sisters?"

"No," Shima replied. "Just in the same family. I don't have any sisters, but I do have a brother."

"That must be nice. It's just me in my family and…" Hazuki started, trailing off as she noticed the magazine on the table, which was flipped open to an ad for a local boutique. "Is that…?"

"Hm? Shima picked it up. "Hey! It's you!"

"Yeah…I model for that and other local shops. This is kind of embarrassing though…I probably should have paid more attention when I got ready this morning. I look so sloppy now."

"No you don't, you look like any other teenager enjoying the summer," Shima said with a smile. "And it's not like we're dressed up or anything..."

"Why don't you sit down?" Tedachi suggested to Hazuki. "I'll see if I can get one of the girls to get some snacks."

"Sounds great!" Hazuki smiled as she settled down next to Shima, a brief silence falling until Tedachi returned.

"Minori says she'll take care of the food," He informed them.

"I can't believe you _work_ here! This place is so beautiful! It's almost like something out of a dream!" Hazuki gushed, smiling up at Minori when she set a tray with snacks and soda on the table. "Thank you so much."

"You're very welcome," Minori smiled back and headed off.

"It must be nice having all this staff around…But it has to get boring have everything done for you. What do you do for fun?"

"Well, Akito here is a wonderful gardener," Tedachi said, gently taking the flower crown out of her hands and handing it over to his cousin.  
"Wait…So _you_ grew these? They're lovely!"

"They're also mine," Shima commented as she plucked the item out of Hazuki's hands. "I was inspired by this article here."

"Ooh…These are pretty! Can you make me one?"

"You can read can't you? Make your own," Akito said.

"Oh, I couldn't…I'm all thumbs when it comes to crafts. Everything I make just falls apart…It's because I'm so clumsy I just can't put things together right…It's because of that clumsiness people call me an airhead."

"It's okay, I can't craft either. It's why I'm a writer," Shima said.

"Really?" Hazuki quickly grabbed Shima's hands. "It's so nice to know I'm not the only one!"

"Personal space, Hazuki," Tedachi warned.

"Oh! I'm SO sorry! I didn't mean to get in your face like that!"" She said as she backed up, gasping when she knocked over her plate in the process. "Oh no…"

"Don't worry about it. I'll go get a rag from the kitchen," Tedachi said as he stood.

"…And I'll go help him!" Shima decided as she suddenly rose and then followed in his steps.

"I knew you wouldn't stay," Tedachi said just as she crossed the doorway.

"I thought you were…"

"Shush," He ordered, motioning her to join him as he peeked around the door.

"Okay, now you're acting like my brother, and that's scary."

"I want your honest opinion on something. Now that you've met her, what do you think of Hazuki?"

"She seems nice. Plus, she's really cute and just so sweet. I feel like we could get along."

"Uh-huh. Just give her a minute."

' _Huh?'_ Shima thought as she followed his gaze back to the table just as Hazuki let out a long sigh and leaned back.

"Man is this _boring…_ " She declared, soon turning her gaze to Akito. "Why don't you make yourself useful and get me some more soda?"

Akito simply cut her eyes at the girl as she flipped a page in the magazine.

' _Ignoring me, are you?'_ Hazuki thought with a scowl. "Well…It seems that someone has a bit of an attitude. Maybe I'll just get your friend to do it, she seems gullible."

"I'd like to see you try," Akito replied.

"There you go," Tedachi said to Shima, whose eyes had widened considerably. "That's the real Hazuki. Spoiled, vain and conceited."

"Let's change the subject for a minute," Hazuki decided. "How tall are you anyway? And where are your boobs for that matter? No offense, you just seem out of proportion. I didn't know they even made grownup clothes in your size. Plus, with that haircut, I bet you get mistaken for a boy _A lot_ , even in a dress like that. Speaking of which, you probably have to get your dresses completely reconstructed when you take them in, don't you?"

' _I can't believe Akito's letting her say all this bullshit…'_ Shima thought.

"I would also be inclined to think that…" Hazuki said, abruptly stopping as Akito leaned over the table and slapped her across the face.

' _Fuck yes!'_ Shima thought with a smile.

"Sorry. There was a bug on your face," Akito declared smugly.

"Listen here, you little…"

"Hazuki?" Tedachi said, pretending to be calling for her as he reappeared.

" _Tedachi_ ," Hazuki whined as she started to cry. "She hit me."

"I know, I know…" He sighed. "Why don't you go wait outside? I'll be there in a few minutes to show you around the estate."

"Oh…Okay…" Hazuki sniffled as she left.

The moment she was gone, Akito looked up at Tedachi.

"Okay, anyone who is fine with the fact people call them an airhead all the time must be a special kind of _stupid_ ," She declared.

"I'm sorry about her. But…there's not much I can do about it. I'm also sorry that _this_ is how I had to reveal her true nature to you."

"Why do you go around letting her act stupid anyway? Wouldn't just be easier to tell people _and_ her that you know she's a bitch?"

"It would…But it also wouldn't be much fun. Besides, Hazuki has to learn how to express her true self on her own. And, she also had to learn to deal with people hating her."

"Whatever. Just don't bring her around here anymore. She irritates me."

"Akito, I could write a dissertation on the things that irritate you," He teased, laughing at the look he got in response before kneeling down to her level. "I get it. I'll head out now. But, I'll see you tomorrow," He said, gently nudging her as he finished speaking, waiting until she finally turned towards him and responded with a small, quick kiss.

"There. Is that what you wanted?"

"Come on, I know you can do better."

"You don't deserve any better. Not when you brought that _thing_ into my house."

"That's fine…I have ways of getting what I want," He said, setting a hand over hers as he leaned in close.

"What are you doing?" She asked as she caught the mischievous glint in his eye.

"You should wear this dress more often…" He commented absentmindedly as he slipped his free hand under her skirt, smirking at her startled gasp.

" _Stop_ ," She ordered, her breathing growing involuntarily heavy as his fingers slowly trailed over her thigh.

"You don't mean that," He teased, taking his lips to her neck.

"But…Shima…and Hazuki…Plus…The others…"

"And?"

At that, she gave an exasperated sigh, pulled him up by his hair and forcefully pressed her lips to hers, breaking off when she had to breathe, and pausing for less than a moment before pulling him back.

" _Tedachi_!" Hazuki called as she stepped back in. "You're taking too…"

"Hazuki!" He exclaimed as he quickly pulled back.

"You…You're…How _dare_ you touch him!"

"Hazuki…Please," Tedachi sighed as he stood moving to reach for her.

"Don't," She said, slapping his hand away. "This is between me and _her_. You want to explain to me why you're all over my future husband?!"

"Wait…what?"

"If you know what's good for you, you'll stay _away_ from him. Got it?!"

" _Hazuki,_ leave." Tedachi snapped as he shoved her out the door. "I'll meet you in a minute. This time, I mean it." He sighed as she stepped out and then turned back to Akito. "Sorry about that too. I promise there's nothing going on between us. It's just…She's had this massive crush on me since we were kids and is convinced we're going to be married some day. Trust me when I say I've tried to convince her otherwise…But she just won't listen. So, I deal with it."

"And now I'm in the middle of it."

"Don't worry about it…Or her. You won't be seeing much of her anyway," He said as he left.

' _I hope so…'_ Akito thought, cringing when she heard Hazuki's laugh as they exited the house. _'…For_ _ **both**_ _our sakes.'_


	9. The One Where Minori Knows

_**The One Where Minori Knows**_

* * *

 _Timeline: Starts in mid June, a few days after Akito meets Tedachi's family_

"Hmm…" Minori mused as she flipped through personal notes and the household sign-in book, diligently typing the times into a computer document. _'This will be Mito's second strike…Akito is not going to like that. And then there's Ayu…She has yet to give us that doctor's note she promised from last week And…Wait, what's this?'_ She asked herself, carefully picking up Tedachi's sign-in page with a frown. After a few clicks on the computer, she brought up his schedule and compared it to the sheet.

' _One…Two…Three…'_ She mentally counted and quickly made a few notes before printing the schedule and stapling it to the page, easily setting it with three others that she took with her when she sought out Akito after finished her task, finding the other woman diligently attending to the flowers in her butterfly garden.

"Yes, I know. Three o'clock," Akito was saying, her mobile balanced between her shoulder and ear as she reached for her watering can. "Text me the address. I'm sure I can figure it out," She continued, glancing up when Minori's shadow fell over her and sighing. "I have to go. House matters." She said suddenly, quickly hanging up and setting the phone down.

"Can I sit?" Minori asked carefully.

"I guess," Akito shrugged and turned back to the garden, moving to pull at a few weeds and frowning at a particularly stubborn one.

"I went through the attendance records for last week and found some inconsistencies. Mito had another no-show day on Tuesday."

"That's her second one, right?"

"Yes."

"Is she here today?"

"Yes. She's over at Mia and Kaito's today."

"Call over there and tell her to be here right after lunch."

"And Ayu _still_ hasn't given us that doctor's note she promised last week."

"Tell her she has until Thursday. Tomorrow is her day off, she has plenty of time to get it. If she doesn't, tell me and I'll take care of it."

"Kaoru was late twice this week."

"That's not normal for her," Akito mused. "Give her a light warning, but keep an eye on her. If she starts a pattern, I'll sit down with her."

Minori nodded, placed the file behind the others. "One more," She said. "Tedachi's been late _four_ times in the past two weeks. _And_ last month he was late three separate times."

"Oh, don't worry about him," Akito said with a dismissive wave.

"But…"

"He's off today anyway. I'll talk to him tomorrow."

"Um…Alright?" Minori said with a raised eyebrow, lingering for a few minutes and watching as the smaller woman reached over for her basket, looking up when she realised Minori was _still_ sitting next to her.

"Did you need something?" She asked.

"Hmm? Oh, no. Sorry," Minori apologised as she stood, unaware of the way Akito watched her walk away and how she pulled her phone back out the moment she was out of sight. _'That was….weird. Why be concerned with the girls, but_ _ **not**_ _Tedachi? He's making a bad habit out of this and…she doesn't seem to care at all! I know they're friendly with each other…But this just doesn't seem right…'_ She mused with a frown, easily setting down her paperwork when she returned to the small office adjacent to the staff room and briefly dropping the thought when she picked up the phone to call out to a house on the other end of the state and inform Mito of her impending meeting with Akito, sighing at the girl's attitude when she hung up.

' _Why is she mad at_ _ **me**_ _? I was only doing my job. She's the one who's late all the damn time,'_ Minori thought, running a hand through her shoulder-length hair before heading off to finish her in-house chores, her goal being to get most of them done by lunch so she didn't have to rush around after her shopping trip, which she ended up completing shortly after three.

"I think that's everything…" She muttered to herself, looking over the bags in her hands and mentally comparing the items to those on her list whilst loading them into the borrowed car, soon smiling when a quick glance at her watch told her she was running early.

' _I still have some time. Which means…I can check out that cute sweet shop!'_ Her smile widened at the thought as she finished and quickly headed up the street, pausing a few blocks from the shop and backing up when she caught a familiar face through the window of a local book café, head tilting in curiosity as she thought, _'Akito? What is she…? Wait…It's three fifteen. She was talking to someone about meeting somewhere at three. But…she's all alone!'_

A small frown tugged at her lips as she watched Akito flip a page in her book. She didn't look particularly frustrated or unhappy; in fact, she was fully invested in the story, only being drawn from it when a mug settled down next to her.

"Thanks," Akito said, unaware of Minori's presence _and_ the gasp she gave when she smiled up at Tedachi.

"They were out of the green tea you like, so I went with the…"

"Oolongcha," Akito offered after catching the scent of it.

"You and your tea," He said with a light laughed as he glanced around, made sure no one was paying attention before he leaned in and gave her a light peck on the cheek that she smiled at.

' _And just what was that?!'_ Minori thought, her frown deepening. _'Is this why she's going easy on him with the attendance records? Because they're…Wait…What_ _ **are**_ _they?! I guess they're dating…But that doesn't prove much. In fact…It proves nothing. Except that they're a little friendlier than I thought…But_ _ **how**_ _friendly? Hmm…'_

At that, she headed back towards the sweet shop, running over several ideas in her head as, in the café, Akito turned back to her book.

"Good book?" Tedachi asked and she nodded.

"I've been waiting for this one. It's the third in the Twisting Loyalties series."

"How many books are there in that one, anyway?"

"The author said he plans for there to be five, one for each of the families in the series. And that there would _maybe_ be a sixth one that serves as an epilogue. But, he hasn't decided yet. It was in an interview I read last month."

Tedachi nodded, took a sip of his tea.

"He _also_ said he's going on a signing tour. He's going to be at _this café_ next week to promote this book," She said, looking up at him with expectant eyes.

He raised an eyebrow at her, his expression easily changing from curious to teasing. "You want to go, don't you?"

" _Of course_ I want to go! He's my favourite writer and the series is so well-researched, I…"

"You're a fangirl," Tedachi teased with a laugh.

"I am _NOT_!" Akito snapped, unaware of the light blush slowly creeping up on her face.

"Yes you _are_. You read the author's interviews, preorder the books and now, you, the heavily anti-social Akito Sohma wants to attend a _book signing_ that will be filled with other fans. Some of them teenagers."

"I'm not _that_ anti-social…" She muttered.

"You can be," Tedachi shrugged. "You have your friends and business partners, but that's it, really. You keep to yourself for the most part…Which isn't a bad thing. I'm just worried something like this will make you uncomfortable."

"It probably will…But…I _really_ want to meet him. Even if it's just to say I appreciate his writing and research."

Tedachi shook his head. "You are too cute," He sighed, smiling at her expression as he continued. "Alright. I'll go with you. When is it?"

"Next Thursday at four."

"I'm off that day, right?"

Akito nodded. "And I'll need you to be at the house at three."

"It only takes a half hour to get here from the main estate."

"I _know_ , but I don't want to be late. And I sure as hell don't want to be stuck waiting in a long queue, so we need to be early."

"Alright. Can I borrow one of those books?"

"Why?"

"Because I might as well figure out why you like them so much before we go to this thing."

"You're on late shift tomorrow, right?"

"I…think so?"

"Come see me during your dinner hour and I'll give you the first one."

"Can't you just leave it in the staff room?"

"Oh, come on. What fun is _that_?" She teased, reached over to cover his hand with hers as she looked up at him through her long lashes.

"You keep looking at me like that and I'm not going to be able to stop myself from kissing you in front of _everyone_ ," He teased back after catching the slightly seductive glint in her eyes.

"Who said I wanted to _stop_ you?"

"Don't tempt me," Tedachi warned as he stood. "I'm going to get some more tea and a snack. You want anything?"

"No thank you. I'm waiting for dinner, remember? You wanted to take me to that popular ramen shop by your place?"

"Right…But, that won't be for a little bit. I'll just get you something small."

"You don't…Have…To…" She said, trailing off and sighing when he turned away, clearly not interested in her protests. _'He worries too much sometimes…'_ She decided, flipped a page in her book. _'I guess it's nice that he fusses over me a bit…But he's my boyfriend. Not my babysitter. I know how to take care of myself.'_

"Here you are," Tedachi said when he returned, setting a small plate in front of her, observing as she shot a fleeting glance towards the _manju_ bun before returning to her book, ignoring the sigh he gave as he opened up his own book.

"Is that the one I gave you?" She asked.

He shook his head. "I haven't touched that one yet. I wanted to finish – _Hey_."

"This is a manga book," Akito observed as she snatched it up.

"My sister recommended it to me. It's actually really good for a shojo."

Akito scoffed, handed the book back. "You are such a dork."

"Hey. Don't give me that. _You_ read smutty romance novels," He retorted.

"Guilty pleasure," She explained, picked up her snack and finally started to eat, unaware of the small smile he gave then and a few hours later when they were sitting in his flat. Him on the sofa fully concentrated on a video game, while she sat on the floor and caught up on some work, pausing to give a soft yawn and delicately rub her eyes before turning back to her laptop screen and absentmindedly flipping a page in one of her document binders.

"Tired?" He asked as he set aside his video game controller.

"No. Not really," She lied, flipped another page. "Besides, I really need to finish this."

"I'm sure it can wait a day or two. You said you didn't have any meetings until Friday."

"But it's better for me to get this done _now_ ," She argued, ignoring his sigh as he stood from his spot on the sofa and then looking up when a hand came down on her shoulder.

"You're _tired_ ," He retorted. " _And_ you have an early appointment with Hatori tomorrow. Let's get you to bed."

Though she scowled at him, she _knew_ he was right and moved to save her document and shut the computer off, easily taking the hand he offered once she set the laptop aside.

Once in the bedroom, Akito quickly dug through her bag and headed off into the bathroom to change and go through her nighttime routines while Tedachi turned down the bed and grabbed her blanket, which lay next to the duffle bag.

Akito said nothing when she returned, ignoring Tedachi's comment about her cute purple nightshirt as she crossed the room and settled into bed, giving a small, unnoticed smile when he draped her butterfly blanket over her.  
"Here's your blanket," He said. "I'll be back in a little while."

"Wait…" Akito murmured, turning to look at him.

"Hm?"

"Kiss?"

He smiled, leaned down and met her lips in a light, chaste kiss before she settled back down with a content sigh. "Good night," He whispered, adjusted the blanket and headed out, returning once he accomplished what he wanted to in his game and shaking his head at the sight of his girlfriend lying _in the middle_ of his bed and then holding in a laugh when she gave a discontented groan after he tried to move her over.

"Akito, you need to scoot over," He whispered, giving her another gentle push that resulted in her waking up just long enough to glare at him. "Come on," He urged, earning another groan as she finally moved over and allowed him the space to slide into bed, eagerly snuggling up to him once he was settled.

* * *

"Where were you last night?" Minori asked as soon as Akito came through the door.

"I stayed over with Shima," Akito lied expertly, shifting the bag hanging over her shoulder as she spoke and raising an eyebrow at the way Minori looked her over.

' _No hickeys…She's not in a ridiculously happy mood…Maybe she_ _ **did**_ _spend the night with Shima?'_ Minori mused.

"Yes?" Akito asked.

"Oh! Nothing."

"Alright…I'm going to take care of this and send the laundry down for you to handle. I want a snack tray sent up in about an hour. I'll be in my room working."

"Yes Miss," Minori gave a proper bow as Akito headed off, deciding to drop her questions for the time being and go on her way until Tedachi arrived for work that afternoon.

After contemplating a few options, she settled for hovering around a bit, going unnoticed for most of the day until she dared to approach him in the garden, carefully looking over his shoulder while he pulled at weeds.

' _Hmm…No hickeys on his neck either. I guess Akito was telling the truth….Though, it still doesn't explain the café date…'_ She thought.

"Can I help you with something?" Tedachi sighed, having become rather annoyed with her hovering.

"Hm? Oh! No! I'm just observing," She lied with a nervous smile.

"If you're going to do that, you can help me," He decided.

"Um…Alright," Minori decided, figuring that helping and spending time with him would allow them to talk a bit. "So…" She mused carefully. "You and Akito seem to get along well."

"We're friends," Tedachi shrugged. "At least…I think we are. We read and discuss books together and sometimes eat lunch when I work the morning shift."

"And go out sometimes?"

"Huh?"

"When I was out shopping yesterday, I saw you two in that book café downtown."

At that, he paused, resisting the urge to stare at her as he thought, _'We picked that place because we were sure it was so out of the way no one would find us! Especially in the middle of the day! And now…_ _ **Shit**_ _. I hope she didn't see anything!'_

"Is something wrong?" Minori asked carefully, using all of her willpower to hold back the smirk teasing her features after catching the nervous glint in his eye.

"No, of course not. I was just thinking about my tasks for later," Tedachi lied, hoping he didn't sound too awkward. "And as for yesterday, Akito went to pick up her preorder and asked me if I'd like to come so we could discuss the book we just finished."

"Oh," She frowned, looking up when he stood.

"I'll be back. I have to fill the watering can," He said, easily grabbing it while she leaned over to pull at some more weeds, easily ignoring the dirt starting to accumulate on her kimono sleeves. Unlike many of the other girls, she wasn't afraid to get the garment dirty. It _was_ for working in, after all.

' _That watering can isn't even close to empty!'_ She thought, having glanced at it briefly when she had come over.

' _I hope that all sounded convincing…'_ Tedachi thought as he leaned against the wall by the hose, having actually gotten away to collect his thoughts. The _last_ thing he wanted or needed was her finding out about the relationship and spreading it around. _'Are we going to have to be even_ _ **more**_ _careful? I'll have to bring it up later when I see her at dinner.'_ He resolved, taking in a breath before grabbing the watering can again and returning to the task at hand, being careful not to drop any hints of information and to watch his back a little more throughout the day, especially when he made his way up to Akito's room shortly after his slotted dinner hour started.

"There you are," She teased when he slid open the door, easily turning away from her computer.

"Where's the book?" He asked.

Akito scoffed, stood up and took the few steps over to him. "We'll get to that later. Right now I need you to sit down. On the bed."

"But, Akito, we need to –" He trailed off when she leaned up to whisper,

"It wasn't a question." She took his hand, pulled him further into the room and urged him toward the bed, muttering something about sitting in the middle, which he obeyed.

He had been settled less than a moment when she crawled up to join him and carefully, eagerly straddling his lap, throwing him a satisfied smirk when he looked up at her.

"Akito, I need to talk –" His words were cut off by her kissing him firmly, hands immediately finding and threading through his hair.

It took him a few moments to react, his mind still focused on the fact that they _needed to talk_. He reached up, intending to set his hands on her shoulders and push her back, but easily dropped the thought when he felt her teeth sink into his bottom lip.

She bit and tugged gently, pausing to look at him through her lashes and then smiling at the look of adoration he gave her before leaning in for another eager kiss, giggling against his lips when he pulled her in close after settling his hands on the small of her back.

He responded to the light laugh with a smile against her skin and another, firm kiss, gently nipping at her lip when she resisted his attempts to deepen the kiss and frowning when she only laughed at his frustration, however, the expression easily melted away when she grabbed his shirt and pulled him back for a hot, rough kiss where she practically assaulted his lips with hers and forced her way into his mouth, swallowing the groan he gave when her tongue curled around his.

He returned the kiss with one of equal vigor, his hands sliding up her body almost of their own violation while hers came up, snaked around his neck.

"T—Tedachi!" She gasped when his lips made their way down to her neck, closed her eyes and let out a faint moan when he nipped. For once, she hadn't intended it to go this far, having only wanted to tease him with a few kisses and use the make-out session as a way to de-stress after struggling with some of the account books.

"Akito," He groaned as she pressed herself against him, the movement mostly unconscious on her part.

When their lips met again, Akito forced herself to hold back a moan as she fisted her hands into navy fabric, her mind suddenly deciding that it was in the way and that she _needed_ to see and touch his overheated flesh. She wanted to run her fingers over every small crevice and curve. Just the thought made her shudder as she moved her hands downward to toy with the hem of the shirt.

A slight smirk played at his lips when her fingers grazed his waistline just above his jeans as she pulled his shirt up, a slight frown forming on her face when it wouldn't budge. He held back a laugh as he captured her lips again, this time in a soft, chaste kiss, before pulling back to yank his shirt over his head.

As soon as the garment hit the floor, his hands settled on her arms, squeezed and roughly pulled her back to him.

Akito easily surrendered to his rough kiss, moaning against his mouth as his grip loosened and his hands made their way into her hair while hers ran over his chest, nails tracing gently over every curve she could reach, the motions earning her a soft groan that turned into a surprised gasp when her thumbs ran over his nipples the same moment her lips hit his neck. She paused, sucked at his pulse point before moving back up, kissing a trail back up to his lips and raising an eyebrow when she felt a tug at the buttons on her dress.

"What are you doing?" She giggled.

"You took my shirt off first," He teased, popping another button as he spoke and then quickly returning to her neck.

"Fair enough," She teased back a few minutes later, pausing between kisses to slip her arms from the sleeves, letting the rest of the fabric settle around her waist and giving a soft giggle as his fingers gently ran over light-blue lace and rhinestones while his lips moved downward, a low, soft moan escaping her mouth when his teeth met with the tops of her breasts.

He gently nipped at the sensitive skin, earning a soft gasp as her grip around his shoulders tightened, the gasp soon turning into a low groan when he started to kiss his way back up to her lips, easily drawing her into a slow, sensuous kiss, hands moving almost of their own volition, trailing up and down her sides before coming around to her back, fingers barely brushing the catch on her bra before a loud knock came at the door.

"Akito?" Minori asked as she tapped the door again, shifting the laundry basket she was holding.

" _Shit_ ," Akito muttered as she quickly pulled away from her boyfriend, her mind reeling as she looked around and searched for a solution.

"Aki –"

"Hide in the bathroom!" She finally said as she scrambled out of his lap, ignoring her dress as it hit the ground.

"What?" He asked and she didn't reply, only grabbed his hand and forced him up, quickly shoving him towards the bathroom door when he stood and rushing to close it, only to have him grab _her_ wrist and pull her in with him before shutting and locking the door.

"What are you –" She tried to snap, only to be shushed right before they heard the door slide open as he turned on the shower to create the illusion that she had been preparing for it the whole time. She ignored him and leaned up against the door to listen, taking in a breath when she felt his heat against her as he joined her in doing the same, both intensely quiet, save for their soft breathing.

"Akito?" Minori asked again when she entered, shrugging when she found the room empty, but raising an eyebrow at the _two_ garments thrown haphazardly on the floor, and then moving to grab Tedachi's shirt after setting the laundry basket down.

' _Okay, so…This definitely is NOT hers. Wait…wasn't Tedachi wearing this earlier? Hmm…Curiouser and curiouser…'_ She thought, easily dropping the shirt again before heading out the door, unaware of the relieved sighs that came from the couple in the bathroom when they heard the door close, a long pause stretching between them before Tedachi spoke.  
"Well…" He said, hands trailing up her back. "Since the shower's already on…"

She said nothing, only gasped when, at the last word, he suddenly flicked the catch on her bra. She thought to glare at him, but was quickly overtaken by the idea of being with him _in the shower_ , where they would be _alone_ and in private with no chance of getting caught as, the maids never bothered her when she was showering. A smirk crossed her features as she processed the thought, easily slipped the garment off and threw it aside before approaching him, taking the hot, invasive kiss he offered and then holding in a soft laugh at the feeling of his hands ghosting down her sides.

" _Get in_ ," Tedachi ordered after hooking his thumbs into the waistline of her pants and gently easing them down, eyes darkening with an almost feral lust as he watched her slip them the rest of the way off and carefully toss them aside too, throwing him a knowing look as she stepped into the shower.

* * *

' _So…First there was the way she dismissed his attendance problems…Followed by the date at the café…And then I find Tedachi's shirt on her_ _ **bedroom floor**_ _. Hmm…'_ Minori mused two days later as she prepared a tea tray. _'Yet…I didn't see him go up there…Unless…Was he in the shower_ _ **with her**_ _?'_ She paused, set the stirrer aside. _'Duh!_ _ **Of course**_ _he was! When I passed him on the way out he looked freshly showered… And, come to think of it…He_ _ **did**_ _smell like pomegranate. So…That leaves the question…Are they together or is this just a hookup thing? Or am I completely off?'_ She raised an eyebrow at her own thought and arranged the teapot and cups in their proper positions, carefully double-checking them before heading off to the sitting room, where, Akito sat out on the deck carefully looking over the notes from her meeting that morning and making necessary adjustments whilst comparing suggested numbers with those in her already carefully-calculated budget.

' _I don't care what he wants…We DO NOT need to spend any more money here! There are_ _ **plenty**_ _of ways to utilise the people and resources we already have,'_ She thought with a scowl, making a huge, red mark across the paragraph, and then looking towards her mobile when it rang.

"Hello?" She asked when she answered it.

"Akito, hi! I'm glad I finally got a hold of you. I left a message the other day, but…"

"I'm sorry, Dr. Fujiwara" Akito interrupted. "I _did_ listen to it and I meant to call you back, but I had this meeting and some account books to look over…It's been kind of a mess these past few days."

"I'm sorry to hear that. You're dealing with it though, right?" Dr. Fujiwara asked carefully as she made a note in Akito's patient file.

"For the most part. I got so aggravated with my notes the other night I cried."

"But, you're not lashing out?"

"No. Not physically."

"That's good. Anything new going on, or is it just the usual?"

"Everything is pretty much the same. I'm working on planning a wedding for some family members and…" Akito paused, glanced back into the room and slowly slid the door closed, taking in a breath before eagerly stating, "I have a _boyfriend_ now!"

The doctor raised an eyebrow, "It's _not_ one of those men you told me about is it? The ones you were with before?"

"No. God, _no_. I actually haven't talked to Kureno in a _long_ time, and Shigure and I get along, but we are nowhere near getting back together. This is a new guy. He works for me actually."

"Really?"

Akito nodded, though, she knew the therapist couldn't see it. "And he's a wonderful boyfriend…"

' _Boyfriend?! So…They_ _ **are**_ _together?!'_ Minori thought, having waked in just as Akito finished her sentence. She stood just outside of the door to the deck, and carefully, quietly, stepped up to listen, giving a small smile when she heard Akito laugh.

"I'm _so_ stupid in love with him! I don't even really know what happened…We started out as friends and over time I started noticing more and more things about him I liked…And then I just…I don't know!"

"You usually don't," Dr. Fujiwara laughed. "Hell, I still can't pinpoint exactly when I started to fall for my husband, yet…here we are. Going on ten years with two kids. You said he was _good to you_ , right?"

"Of course. He's patient and puts up with me when I'm temperamental. And he doesn't make a fuss about it having to be a secret –"

"Secret?"

Akito nodded and proceeded to explain while Minori quietly padded out of the room, deciding to return with the tea in a few minutes.

' _So…She has a boyfriend and it's a secret…Combine that with the fact that I keep seeing her and Tedachi together and found his clothes in her room and…I think we have a match! But…How to bring it up? Or should I even bother? What if it turns out not to be true?'_ She paused, laughed silently at her own thought. _'Who am I kidding…? Of course it's true! The silent whispers…The obvious shared shower the other day…They're definitely together. Now…how to approach it…?'_ She smiled at the idea when she returned with the tray a few minutes later to find the door open again and Akito casually scanning documents.

"You asked for tea?" Minori said carefully.

"Yes. A _half hour_ ago! It doesn't take that long to make tea!"

"I'm sorry. Some other chores got in the way."

Akito gave an annoyed huff in response, poured her tea and then glanced towards her lingering maid. " _Yes_? Did you need something?"

"Huh? Oh! Me? No. I'm fine."

"Then why are you still here?"

"Oh! I'm sorry. I was just...thinking," Minori said with a nervous smile, giving a proper bow before making herself scarce, unaware of the raised eyebrow Akito gave when she left.

' _She's weird,'_ Akito thought, rolling her eyes before turning back to the rain that had been falling and eventually looking up when a shadow fell over her.

"Michiko said you wanted to see me?" Tedachi asked, sliding the door closed as he spoke.

"Yes. We need to talk about your attendance record. Sit."

Tedachi raised an eyebrow, but did as he was told and sat, accepting the cup she offered with a polite nod.

"You were recorded as being late four times in two weeks."

"I believe all of those were _your_ fault," He pointed out, set his cup down. "'One more time, Tedachi. I don't care if you're late.' 'Take a shower with me, it won't take that long.' 'Get inside me, _now_.' Remember all that?"

Akito couldn't respond. She only looked away from him in a poor attempt to hide the heavy blush covering her cheeks. "That…Doesn't…"

He smirked, took a long sip of his tea. "And what about the way you _begged_ me to take you a few days ago on that rainy morning? You were practically _screaming_ for it."

" _Tedachi!_ Shush!" She ordered, throwing him a look. "What if someone _hears you_? Never mind, don't answer that. Just, be more careful, will you? I think some of the girls are starting to get suspicious."

"Don't you pin this all on me. _You_ need to stop being so tempting so early in the morning. How do you do that anyway?"

"Let me show you," She insisted with a smirk, moving so that her face was directly in front of his. She brought a hand up, cupped his cheek. "Tedachi?" She purred, looking at him through her long lashes as she spoke.

"Hm?"

"I _love you_."

At that, she leaned in and captured his lips with her own, holding back a smile when he moaned against her lips as she curled her tongue around his, pressing harder, deeper, claiming him as _hers_.

A small smirk played at her lips as she slowly pulled back and caught the adoration and lust in his gaze. "No," She ordered, putting a finger to his lips when he leaned in again. "No more until tomorrow. We have a _long_ night planned, remember? So, I hope you'll be using your day off to rest."

He gave a knowing look in response as he stood. "If that's all, I need to get back to work. And I promise I'll try and be more careful about my attendance."

"Good." She gave a curt, professional nod and took another sip of her tea as he headed off, a small smile playing at her lips as she thought about her plans for the following night then and the next morning as she eagerly texted Tedachi during breakfast, frowning and giving an aggravated sigh when Kaoru came to drag her off into the bath, muttering something about her having to hurry up due to a meeting.

"I know, I _know_ ," Akito snapped, scowling at Minori when they passed her and the younger girl laughed.

' _Sorry, Akito…But you're just…You're something else,'_ Minori thought with a small shake of her head as she made her way down the hallway, stopping in the dining room to collect the abandoned breakfast dishes. Normally, Akito would bring them to the kitchen herself, but after being dragged off due to losing track of time, they ended up being left on the table.

' _Well, at least she ate it all today. The cook said she left half of it on the plate yesterday. But, in her defense, he_ _ **did**_ _give her a lot of food. She probably couldn't stomach it all…'_ She mused as she picked up the final dish, pausing when Akito's mobile went off.

' _Hmm…I wonder who…'_ She went to reach for it and then quickly stopped herself. _'No. I can't. I shouldn't. That's_ _ **hers**_ _. And…Oooh, Tedachi.'_ She thought as she read the screen, then, after a quick glance around, against her better judgment, she picked up the purple device and flipped it open.

"But we'll still have to set an alarm so I can be up early…" She read aloud to herself, raised an eyebrow and began to flip through the message queue. "'Can't wait for tonight…We're not going to sleep. _At all_.' 'You should wear that lacy slip of yours…You know, the one with the slit?' 'Hehe. Maybe I will.' 'I can already see myself sliding my hands under black satin, parting those hot, sleek thighs and…'" At that, she quickly flipped it closed, deciding that she had read more than enough.

' _That's it. They are a thing and this proves it! And now I know EXACTLY how to go about this!'_

* * *

' _God, I_ _ **hate**_ _mornings…_ _ **Why**_ _did I decide this was a good idea again? It's still_ _ **dark**_ _,'_ Minori asked herself as she quietly slipped her key into the main door with a long yawn the same moment that Tedachi's mobile alarm went off upstairs.

' _Ugh. Shut_ _ **up**_ _!'_ Akito thought with a groan, glancing up at it briefly.

"I've got it," Tedachi assured, holding in a small laugh at her expression as he reached over and shut it off, smiling towards Akito when she settled back against him following the quiet, gently moving a piece of hair out of her face before he forcing himself up.

When he returned from the bathroom, he found her in the same spot, hand resting up by her face. He smiled at the way her fingers reflexively curled to catch his when he teased her palm.

"Akito?" He whispered, moving to gently shaking her.

" _No_ ," She muttered, snuggling further into her blanket.

' _Oh…Why do you have to look so vulnerable when you sleep?'_ He thought, biting his lip as images of the previous night flooded his mind. Sure, she looked vulnerable now, but last night she had been very much the opposite. She played the dominating seductress well. After they'd finished off the takeout he'd brought over, she snuck off to set up the room and when she called him up, he was greeted by candlelight and the sight of his girlfriend in the black satin and lace slip he'd suggested she wear. From there, she'd taken complete control, ordering him into stripping off his own clothes and then teasing and sensually torturing him, making sure he was fully frustrated before making him to the same to _her_ , taking pleasure in the feral lust in his eyes that melted into pure helplessness once she pushed him onto his back and eagerly, forcefully took him. That time, _he_ had been the vulnerable one, unable to do anything but submit to her. Their second time had been slower, more intimate with both parties putting in equal effort, but without one taking full control, as, they were both too sated and tired to do so. He vaguely remembered them trying to go for a third round, but also knew it probably didn't go past the initial kissing stage, because he also had a blurry memory of pulling Akito's blanket up while she settled next to him.

' _I guess the roles are reversed now…'_ He thought, his lips slowly turning up into a smirk as he ran a hand over her shoulder, smiled at the small noise she made, and then carefully, gently, urged her over onto her back, the smirk returning when she didn't wake. Once he was sure she was settled, he pulled the blanket and sheets off of her and carelessly threw them aside as he climbed on top of her.

"Akito…" He whispered hotly, leaning in to place a kiss on her neck as his hands wandered downwards, cupped her breasts.

Akito gave a sleepy gasp in response to his ministrations, a soft moan soon escaping her lips when he ran his thumbs over her nipples.

He groaned against her skin at the reaction, pausing to suck at her pulse point while his hands moved farther downwards, fingers drawing light, nonsensical patterns on her skin as he whispered her name again, leaving one last, light kiss on her collar before descending upon her breasts.

" _Oh…_ Tedachi," She groaned as his tongue met with her nipple, her mind caught completely in a fantasy. Though she was more than used to having sex dreams about him at this point, this one felt…different. And it came on rather suddenly. Usually there was some build up to her fantasies, some establishment of setting before things got heated, but this one had come on so fast. She moaned again when one of his hands came back up to tease her untouched breast.

' _Hmm…I don't remember you being such a heavy sleeper…Unless…Maybe you just don't want to wake up?'_ He thought, biting back a laugh at his thought process and gently nipping at the underside of her breast, drawing a rather loud moan out of her that he took as an invitation to continue, fingers moving downward to stoke the insides of her slightly spread thighs as his lips brushed over her stomach and then slowly trailed downwards, each light peck earning him a soft gasp.

Akito's hand twisted into her blanket when his lips brushed over her navel, her mind fighting with itself. While part of her wanted to stay in her dreams, in this erotic fantasy, the other part was urging her to wake up, but it wasn't until she felt his hot breath hovering over her wet heat that she finally started to give in and carefully, slowly, blinked her eyes open, only to widen them immediately and give a soft squeal when he nipped at her inner thigh, the sensation telling her that she was both awake and that her dream…Hadn't been a dream at all.

" _Tedachi_?" She asked, quickly propping herself up on her elbows to see her boyfriend's head between her legs. She then watched as he paused upon realising she was awake and looked up at her.

"Well, good morning, Gorgeous," He teased, dropped her leg and quickly came back up.

"What are you—" Her question was cut off by his hot, invasive kiss. He didn't bother with teasing her this time, simply forced his way into her mouth, not giving her any chance to fight back as he curled his tongue around hers, swallowing the moan she gave just before he pulled back and put a finger to her lips.

Surprisingly, she obeyed his silent command and said nothing more as he descended once again, not wasting any time in returning to his previous position, hands gripping her now quivering thighs as he held them apart, leaving one, last mark on the left one before turning his attention to her pulsing heat.

There was no preamble as he leaned in and ran his tongue along the length of her, the action drawing a long, hard moan from her mouth that only got _louder_ when he found her clit, flicked his tongue against it.

"Tedachi…" She said with a hard gasp when he repeated the motion, bringing her hand down to run over and then tangle in his hair when he gave a moan of his own against her hot, hidden flesh, the vibration sending a pleasant shiver up her spine that soon melted into pure heat as he picked up the pace, licking almost relentlessly, and relishing in the hard, sensual gasps and moans he got in response, giving a few of his own when her grip on his hair tightened and she practically screamed out his name.

At that, he pulled back slightly, earning an aggravated groan that he ignored as he slipped a hand under her thigh and shifted one of her legs up onto his shoulder, briefly locking eyes with her and barely biting back his moan when he caught the pure, unbridled desire in those dark irises just before licking a hot line along her inner thigh, the action making her shudder against him with a light gasp that turned into a long, soft moan when he pressed his tongue against her. This time, he worked her slowly, using the flat of his tongue to carefully trace the characters of her name as a distraction.

Akito let out a frustrated moan, taking her free hand to her breast and gently teasing it as she instinctively arched against him, silently commanding him and then scowling when he didn't take the hint, only continued with his tortuously slow, sensual licks, his hand slowly trailing up and down her leg as he did so, the light brushing of his fingers making her shiver.

"Tedachi… _Please_ ," She gasped, tightened her grip on his hair.

"Please, what?" Tedachi teased, slowly pulling away from her and giving a light laugh at the scowl he got in response. "Well, that's not very sexy," He laughed, leaning in to capture her lips with his before she could respond, his tongue sliding into her mouth as his fingers slid downwards and into her without warning, earning both a startled gasp and a long, keening moan in response as her hips surged upwards, taking him deeper into her.

" _Akito_ ," He groaned, his voice right next to her ear as his fingers curled inside her, making her moan louder. "You're so… _wet_ and…" He trailed off, let out another groan at the thought of what it would feel like when he was moving inside of her, her body slick with passion and eagerly throbbing all around him. Just the passing thought was enough to make him consider stopping and simply ramming himself into her. However, he quickly shook it off. He refused to give in until he had her thoroughly frustrated and begging, _screaming_ for him to take her. He didn't care which form, _I want you. I need you. Take me. Fuck me._ As long as she _said it_.

She gave another loud moan when he curled his fingers again, and then let out a soft gasp as he slowly, tortuously, started to pull them out, only to plunge them back in, harsher this time, her hips once again rising with the motion, her moan cut off by his lips as he kissed her ardently, easily coaxing her into a long, searing kiss, holding in a low groan when her arms came up, wrapped around his neck as her whole body arched against him and she moaned his name again.

"Tedachi…I…Ah!" She gasped, dug her nails into his shoulders when she felt both his thumb brushing over her nipple and his fingers slowly pulling out of her once again.

"Tedachi…What?" He breathed, leaving a light kiss on her neck before taking his lips to her breasts, carefully tracing the pebbled texture of her areolas, smiling against her skin at the way her back arched and pushed her breasts upwards just as his fingers easily slithered back inside her increasingly tight heat.

"You…I need you to…" Akito gasped, struggling to speak through the increasingly rapid tempo of her breaths.

" _Yes_?" He replied, gently nipped at the underside of her breast, curled his fingers inside of her once again and then relished in a girlish cry of pleasure he received in response.

"Oh, _God_. Tedachi, _inside me! Now_!" She commanded and he smirked as he shifted into a kneeling position, eyes locked with hers as he brought his fingers to his lips and licked each one clean, the sight drawing a faint moan from her before he moved to hover over her, his eyes still on hers as he slowly slipped into her with a long, hard moan, her body offering no resistance, greedily welcoming him with its passion-sodden embrace. By that point, all of her nerves were on fire, her loins so alive with heat and sensation all she could do was cry out pitifully and cling to him, her painted nails digging into his shoulders as he started the moving at a rather slow pace, using every ounce of his willpower to keep from simply slamming into her.

He groaned at the feeling of her nails raking over his shoulders, the low noise turning into a full-throated moan when she leaned up to kiss and then worry a spot on his neck, soon kissing her way up and gently nipping on his earlobe as he increased the pace slightly.

" _Ah_! Oh, _Tedachi_. Faster. _Deeper_ ," She breathed, her sultry tone and hot breath on his ear making him shudder against her as he obeyed, easily quickening the pace and giving a moan of his own when he felt her thighs lock around his waist and her hips rising to meet his.

"Akito…" He moaned, shifted slightly and relished in the cry of pleasure she gave when he brushed against the top of her entrance, her nails digging even further into his skin before her hands moved to his neck and pulled him in for a long, searing kiss that he let her have control in, figuring that he owed her at least a _small_ semblance of power after incessantly teasing her, his eyes soon widening slightly when she spoke again.

"You're… _So big_ ," She gasped. "And… _Thick_ …I…" She trailed off, her words melting into a series of hot gasps and moans as she lost herself completely in the ecstasy of his body.

He thought to say something, _anything_ in response, but found words completely lost on him as his own pleasure boiled over and he finally gave in to his release, his hips jerking forward almost violently, plunging deeply into her, the short, rapid thrusts of his body soon sending her over the edge as well, his name tearing free of her lips in the form of a loud, high-pitched scream.

' _Ha! I knew it!'_ Minori thought, her head shooting up from the attendance documents she was looking at in a sitting room downstairs, a smirk gracing her features as she delicately picked up her coffee cup.

"I _love you_ ," Akito breathed, gave him a light kiss as things began to cool slightly.

"God, you are _so sexy_ ," Was his response when they broke apart. "I _love_ it when you talk dirty," He said, gently trailing a finger down in-between her breasts as he spoke and holding in a light laugh at the way her skin turned a deeper red as a heavy blush graced her cheeks.

"No, stay," She commanded when he started to pull away, tightening her thighs around his hips.

"I can't," He sighed in response, leaned down for another kiss. "I have to get up. We have to make it look like I just happened to be the first one here, remember?"

Akito groaned, knowing he was right and reluctantly untangled herself from him, waiting and watching as he got up.

"I'm going to take a shower. You should join me," He declared, holding his hand out to her and giving her a knowing smile when she took it and eagerly followed him.

* * *

Tedachi let out a small sigh when he slid Akito's door shut awhile later, grateful that she had willingly gone back to sleep _and_ that they had managed to get out of the shower in a decent amount of time.

"Ten minutes to spare…" He murmured to himself as he looked at his watch. "Enough time to make some coffee and get something to eat." He smiled at the thought and turned down the stairs, abruptly stopping once he looked up and found Minori waiting for him at the bottom, a brief, awkward silence hanging before he blurted out,

"You're here early."

"So are you," She replied smugly, watching and waiting as he came down.

"Well, I…" He started, quickly racking his brain for an excuse and finding himself unable to come up with one, his mind focused on the images of Akito from the previous night up to minutes ago, just before he put her back to bed.

Minori smirked, stepped up into his personal space. "You've got the hots this morning!" She declared.

"I… _What_?"

"You've got the hots for _Akito_ ," She said.

"What does that even mean?" Tedachi asked with a raised eyebrow.

Minori scoffed. "And you call yourself an adult. Anyway, I'm off to start on the cleaning."

At that, she sauntered off, leaving a dumbfounded Tedachi at the bottom of the stairs.

' _What is she trying to pull?'_ He mused as he headed down the hall to the kitchen. _'And what did she mean by all of that?'_ He frowned, slid open the kitchen door and made his way to the counter, raising an eyebrow at the fresh coffee already in the pot. _'I guess Minori made this,'_ He shrugged, and reached for a mug, soon dropping it once he caught site of another mug sitting in the sink. _'Wait! If she had time to make this_ _ **and**_ _drink it, then…How long has she been here?! Does she…? Could she…? Fuck!'_ He groaned, put a hand to his head as he ran over her words again. _'She_ _ **knows**_ _…'_ He quickly thought to seek her out, but ended up stopping in the doorway when he realised that he probably shouldn't be so forward about it. Confronting her right away would definitely make it seem like he had something to hide. Granted, _he did_. But, he also thought it was better to keep it hidden, at least until he was sure that she really did know about him and Akito and wasn't just trying to psyche him out. Unfortunately, trying to get a hold of, or keep an eye on her that day proved rather difficult, as, most of her chores were errands that required her to be out of the house until lunchtime, which she intended to join in on until she found a note in her drawer in the staff room that led her to the back deck outside of Akito's sitting rooms.

"Tedachi?" She asked when she found him there, looking out at the garden.

"How did you find out?" He asked, not bothering with any sort of greeting or acknowledgment.

"How did I find out…what?" She replied.

"You _know_ what."

Minori sighed, shut the door behind her before moving to sit next to him, a long pause settling between them before she took in a breath and admitted. "I heard you this morning…Okay, actually, I heard _her_. And from what I gather, you must be pretty good, us women do not scream like that for no reason."

Tedachi turned away in a poor attempt to hide the slight blush on his face.

"You're blushing."

"Never mind that. What do you want?"

"What do you mean, what do I want?"

"You made it a point to tell me you knew about me and Akito, you must want something."

"Well, I'd like to know if you two are really together or if it's just a hook up."

"We're in a relationship."

"Since when?"

"Since May when we confessed to each other. We were both harbouring pretty decent crushes on each other for awhile."

"I figured something was up before today, you know. She dismissed your attendance problems…And then I saw you two together in that book shop the same day. Then you started acting weird and there was this phone conversation I overheard where she talked about having a boyfriend, and I just started putting things together. Then I…Well….Akito left her mobile on the table one morning and…"

"You went through her phone?!" He asked, mouth hanging slightly agape.

"Only because your name flashed up on the screen," Minori shrugged. " _Anyway_ , I looked through some of your texts and found out you were staying over, so I…"

"Decided to show up early to see if you could get your questions answered?"

"Yeah…"

"Well, I guess you got your answer."

"Is she always that loud in bed?"

Tedachi nodded. "If she has to be quiet, she is. But, if not, she's _really_ vocal. I don't mind though." He paused, thought for a moment before he said, "So…Are you going to tell everyone, now?"

" _What_? No! I can keep a secret. But…You understand what this means, right?"

Tedachi groaned, "You're not going to blackmail us, are you?"

"No…Well, not how you would think."

"Then what –" He was cut off when she leaned over, put her face directly in front of his.

"You know…I really _hate_ washing the dinner dishes. But I _don't_ mind sweeping the walkways outside."

"So, you want me to…switch chores with you?"

"Yes. Now and occasionally at other times. And maybe shifts too…And some lunch would be nice too every once in awhile. I've heard you cook really well."

" _Fine_ ," Tedachi huffed, gently putting a hand to her shoulder and shoving her away. "I'll do it. _All of it_. As long as you keep your mouth shut and the demands stay reasonable. And I _will_ have to tell Akito."

"Fair enough," Minori shrugged and stood. "Don't forget about those dishes."

"I won't," Tedachi promised, giving a nod in acknowledgement that she returned before leaving, closing the door behind her just as he sighed and contemplated his choices, sitting for some time before he garnered up the courage to stand and seek out his girlfriend, who he found reading underneath the tree in their hidden garden clearing.

"There you are," He sighed.

She didn't respond, only looked up at him.

"Can we talk?"

"I…Guess?" Akito said. His serious tone frightened her, and she found herself wondering if she had done something wrong as she marked her page and set the book down as he sat next to her.

"Minori knows," He stated, having decided it was best to just be honest.

"What?"

"Minori knows…About _us_."

" _HOW_?"

"Shush," Tedachi ordered, putting a finger to his lips and pulling back when she smacked his hand.

"Don't you 'shush' me! _Explain_."

"She said she just put the pieces together…" He said, took in a breath and proceeded to explain the story the way Minori had, starting with the bookstore and going up to that morning.

" _Great_ ," Akito groaned when he finished.

"But…She said she'd keep it a secret," Tedachi offered.

"But at what price? People don't not use things like that for their own gain."

"She told me she just wants to trade chores every now and again and wants me to cook her lunch sometimes. Other than that…I think we will be fine. I don't think Minori is the type of person who would use something like this for shady purposes."

"You know…" Akito mused. "We _could_ use this to our advantage too."

Tedachi glanced at her.

"I could start scheduling her to be the first one to come in. Then we could have more time to ourselves in the morning and not have to get up too early or rush to get you out. And she could cover for both of us when we go on dates. Plus, we don't have to lie to her anymore. And she might overlook your occasional late arrivals. So…In a way…This is actually a good thing…Having someone close to the girls who can help us keep the secret."

' _If she'll be okay with the whole thing…'_ Tedachi thought, soon finding that Minori was _more_ than okay with it, and even made an effort to try and be his friend, saying that she had wanted to for awhile…But wasn't sure if he'd be okay with it, since he kept to himself so much. Having a shared secret gave her some sort of leverage in her mind, and a reason to make him hang around with and get to know her, since there was little he could do to object. However, he also found it to be a decent change of pace, and enjoyed having someone else who could help him coax Akito out when need be, such as on the day of the book signing, when, due to Minori wanting to join and running late, they ended up arriving at the café later than Akito wanted to.

"I changed my mind," Akito decided, clutching her book to her chest when she caught sight of the queue, a good handful of which was made up of schoolgirls.

"Oh, _no_ ," Minori declared. " _YOU_ are the one who wanted to come to this!"

"She's right," Tedachi said, nodding to his new friend as they both shoved her forward.

" _NO_! Take me home!" Akito practically whined.

"Uh-uh," Minori shook her head.

"If you don't start moving, I'm going to pick you up and carry you," Tedachi threatened.

"Not in front of all these people!"

"Then get moving," Minori ordered, earning a glare in response before Akito obeyed and walked up to the queue.

"Oh my God! You have the special edition hard cover!" One of the girls said upon noticing Akito's book. "Where did you get that?! I've been looking forever, but I can only find them online for three times the price and…"

"I preordered it," Akito snapped. "These kind only come in preorder form. If you were any sort of fan, you would _know that_."

"Sorry…" The girl muttered before turning back to her friend while Akito scowled up at Tedachi, who only set a hand on her shoulder.

"Be nice," He warned.

"Isn't Tsugumi-Kun _so hot_?!" One of the others said behind them.

"I _know_! And the way his father treats him is just awful…All he want to do is be with his love!"

' _No it's not! It's the way the business world works! If he really wanted to he could speak up and stop whining like a little brat!'_ Akito thought.

"And that Zakuro? She's such a bitch…She has everything she wants! She could…"

"Maybe she wants to do more than be a useless heiress and housewife!" Akito snapped. "Not all of us rich girls want to sit back and go shopping and spend unnecessary money! Some of us actually _like_ working and handling business matters and don't think it's fair that other families give everything to their sons! You don't really know anything about these characters or how their world works, do you?!"

"And you do?!" One of the girls snapped defensively.

"Yes, _I do_. Why else would I be invested in a series like this?!"

"Akito, stop," Minori interjected. "I'm sorry about her. Crowds make her a little more high-strung than usual."

" _Minori_ …" Akito snapped through gritted teeth, looking up with she felt Tedachi's hand settle on her back.

"I told you to be nice," He teased, gently running his hand up and down her back.

"But…"

"No."

She pouted, but stayed still and quiet throughout most of the wait, though both Tedachi and Minori could tell that she was getting increasingly agitated with the crowd and looked like she wanted to claw some of the schoolgirls' eyes out when they started talking about how attractive the male characters were or spouted incorrect information.

"It's almost your turn. Are you ready?" Minori chirped when they got closer to the front, raising a curious eyebrow when Akito didn't respond, only clutched the book harder and took in a breath.

' _She's nervous,'_ Tedachi observed with a smile, secretly finding it adorable. "Go on," He encouraged, giving her a gentle push when it was her turn.

"Well, hello there," The writer teased when she stepped up. "And who do we have here?"

"A –Akito," She spat out.

"Akito? Hmm…That's an interesting name for a girl. I see you have the special edition," He commented.

"Um…Yes," Akito said, carefully setting it on the table. "I was really excited when I heard they were putting one out. It must be nice…To see your work get so much recognition. You really deserve it. The series is so well researched and matches up with my own experiences."

"Thank you. Sometimes my editor scolds me for researching instead of writing…" The writer admitted moving to grab her book.

"Wait! Before you start…My name…It's written in Kanji," She said, quickly digging through her handbag and producing a business card.

The man raised an eyebrow at it, looked up at her and then turned back to the book and carefully began to write.

"And…Don't…Let your editor tell you how to write. I really, really appreciate all the research you've done. I like that…You don't just make things up and that you take time with your characters and settings. It…Makes the story better, I think. And I don't mind waiting for the books. Because I know they're quality. And I…Well…I hope you'll actually write that epilogue at the end. It would be nice…To see how things change with the kids being in charge."

"Thank you, I'll definitely consider it. It's nice to see the fans take such interest in the series…Though I do believe you're the first one today who's mentioned my research."

"I…Well…I'm pretty high up in the business world. So…"

"I see…In that case, maybe I'll give you a call sometime," He said, carefully sliding her card across the table and pocketing it. "I could always use more help with that part of the book."

' _As long as you keep your hands off of her,'_ Tedachi thought, a little more than displeased at man's comment and the subtle way he looked his girlfriend over as they chatted a little more, and the other man handed back her book after slipping a card inside.

"See? That wasn't so bad," Minori commented when Akito returned to them.

"I guess not," Akito shrugged.

"Hey! Since we're all out, let's get something to eat! I saw a nice café on the way here."

"Actually…Tedachi and I were going to go back to his place. He said he wanted to make me lunch."

"Oh…Alright then. I've been curious about what his flat looks like."

"Um…Minori? You weren't included in this plan. Akito and I wanted to spend some time _alone_. We don't get a lot of it at the main house, so…" Tedachi interjected.

"I beg to differ," Minori interrupted. "You just had a date the other night."

"And now we're having another one," Akito informed her.

"I promise I'll invite you over another time. But, for now, I really just want to be with my girlfriend."

" _Fine_. But I'm holding you to that promise," Minori stated with a wide smile before sauntering off in another direction just as Tedachi took Akito's hand and led her back up the street.


	10. Tedachi's Birthday

_**Tedachi's Birthday**_

 _ **A/N:**_ _In_ _case anyone is wondering, Akito's birthday in this story is July 2nd. She didn't get a birthday story because it didn't cross my mind to write one. I couldn't come up with anything decent for it...So, she got skipped over. But just note that she DID have a birthday, which makes her twenty-four and Tedachi twenty-five at this point in the story._

* * *

 _Timeline: Night of July 17._

' _I can't believe she_ _ **forgot**_ _. She's been home all day and had plenty of chances to say something…But didn't,'_ Tedachi thought with a frown as he leaned against one of the support beams on the deck, staring out at the night-cloaked garden as the clock struck ten. Part of him wondered if he had a right to be worried about something so petty, while the other was thoroughly aggravated. He'd dropped hints, had made sure she had it noted _and_ knew she kept everyone's personal information on file. And yet, she hadn't said a word. He let out a frustrated sigh and thought to go back in and finish the early lock up he'd been assigned, but dropped the thought when the faint sound of heels clicking on the wooden floor graced his ears as two satin-covered arms wrapped around him from behind.

"Happy birthday," Akito purred as she nestled her head into his back.

"So, you didn't forget," He said, gently setting a hand over one of hers.

"Of course not. I just thought it would be fun to make you wait."

He shook his head. "So, the whole going to bed early thing…."

"…Was all a lovely ruse," She said with a mischievous smile he couldn't see. "Didn't you wonder why I sent everyone home early tonight?"

"I had my suspicions, but when you didn't drop any hints…I thought you just forgot."

Akito simply laughed as she loosened her grip and finally allowed him to turn around, a small smirk forming as she watched his eyes widen as he looked her up and down. Though he had seen her wear this particular set before, he wasn't any less in love with the way the dark-blue satin slip accentuated her curves. It didn't quite cling to her, but also didn't leave a whole lot to the imagination. It fell centimetres above her knees and was adorned with a lovely, light-blue lace hem that led up to a slight slit and matched the lace framing her breasts. His only minor disappointment was that she was wearing the matching robe with it. However, he was able to forget that rather quickly when he turned his attention to the black heels on her feet.

"I think someone likes what he sees," Akito teased, running a hand up along his chest that he quickly grabbed, not saying a word as he pulled her towards him for a long, lingering kiss.

"Since when do you wear heels?" He asked once they broke apart.

"You…Don't like them?" She said, trying to hold back her disappointment, though her eyes betrayed her.

"What? _No_. I _love_ them," He said, kissing her again before giving a soft sigh as he whispered, "God, you're sexy." He then frowned as she held up a hand to stop him when he tried to kiss her yet again.

"I'm not done yet," She declared, her cheeks still red from his compliment. "I have more to show you…Go ahead and lock up that door and come with me."

Tedachi raised an eyebrow, but did as he was told before letting her take his hand and lead him down the hallway to one of the many spare rooms. This one was dimly lit with a series of candles that gave a nice glow to the lovely collection of pillows and blankets she had thrown together in one part of the room, along with the table, which housed a rather expensive bottle of wine and a small dessert tray.

"You got me a cake?" Tedachi asked with a laugh as he stepped forward to look it over.

"Only a small one, since it is just us," Akito explained as she sat, soon reaching over the table for a lighter as he joined her. "Make a wish," She teased, carefully lighting the single candle on the cake.

"And what exactly am I supposed to wish for when I have everything I want?" He teased back, setting a hand on the ground as he leaned over to kiss her, softly, deeply, finding her very irresistible in the soft candlelight.

"I…don't know," She managed to gasp out once he pulled away. "But…Could you figure it out before the candle melts into the cake?"

He could only laugh at her comment as he slowly moved off of her and did as he was told.

* * *

Meanwhile, in a back room, Ren scowled at her surroundings. Despite the open window and the late hour, the mid-July heat was stifling, and therefore, aggravating.

' _Fuck this weather,'_ She thought as she stood and made her way over to a table, only to pick up the vase resting on it and chuck it towards the wall in her nonsensical anger. She then smiled to herself at the mess and then paused at the realisation that things were quiet. Almost too quiet. She hadn't heard the normal gasps and shuffle of feet usually heard at this hour when she did such things.

' _It's not even eleven! The last girl isn't supposed to leave until near midnight! I don't remember being informed of any changes to this…'_ Ren thought, annoyed at the fact that a lack of maids meant a missed opportunity to gain some rather amusing reactions, and someone to talk to and pry information out of. She then gave a hard sigh while she crossed the room and violently threw the door open, frowning at the dark, empty hall as she stepped out, soon finding a strange joy in being able to walk around unrestricted like she was. No one to watch out for, no fighting and shuffling as maids tried to figure out whose fault it was that she slipped out from under them. Not that she paid any attention to them and those petty squabbles. A soft smile graced her lips as she realised that she could use this chance to her advantage and could actually make her way to the opposite end out the house without being stopped.

Her steps quickened with that thought and the idea that she could possibly find a cure for her boredom if that ugly child of hers dared to come around. However, she eventually found that she didn't have to go far to find her once she caught the faint light that contrasted the darkness, contemplating her options for a moment before slowly sliding the door open just enough so that she could look in without being detected, her curiosity soon turning into pure disgust as she scanned the room, taking note of every detail. The romantic lighting, the half-empty wine glasses and plates on the table and finally, her daughter leaning back against an array of pillows as she accepted a lingering kiss from her manservant, back arching as he took his lips to her neck and gently slid blue satin from her shoulders.

"No fair," Akito teased as he came up to kiss her again. "I'm supposed to be…pleasing you."

"This _does_ please me," Tedachi replied, quickly moving back down, one hand playing with a strap while the other slid up her thigh, smirking at her soft gasp. He had an idea of what she had planned, but was quick to turn it around. Instead of letting her take control over him, he wanted to conquer her. To take her until she screamed.

Akito simply narrowed her eyes at him, finding it extremely difficult to feel any kind of annoyance or anger despite her plans being turned on her. She thought to fight back and make him do as she wanted, but quickly and easily gave into him, letting out another soft gasp and then a moan as his lips found a breast and his hand slid ever closer to her heat.

The entire scene disgusted Ren to the core. What right did this…this _thing_ have to happy? To claim she was in love and be pleasured in such a way? In reality, she was nothing but a whore. A slut using this man for a few minutes of pleasure. With a firm scowl she pushed the door open even wider, making her presence known as she declared, " _Yes_. Moan like the whore you are."

' _What the_ _ **fuck**_ _?'_ Tedachi thought as he pulled away and they both turned towards the source of the comment with wide eyes.

"What the _hell_ are _you_ doing here?!" Akito snapped, scrambling to pull up and adjust both her fallen rob _and_ slip as intense anger shot through her. This was the _last_ thing she wanted or _needed_ to happen. A series of questions came to mind as she pushed her boyfriend away and forced herself to stand up. Namely, how and why was _she_ here? And what exactly did she gain from ruining a perfectly good and _rare_ romantic moment? Especially one that had been meticulously planned and plotted to give both parties a much-needed break.

"Nothing. I was just wondering where all my attendants are," Ren commented with a flit of her wrist.

"Why do you care? You're always trying to give them the slip anyway!" Akito snapped, looking as defensive as one could in her state.

"You're right, I don't care about them," Ren said as she crossed the room, stopping near Tedachi, who had taken a place behind Akito, as he usually stayed out of the way during their fights. "I'm more interested in your little boy-toy here. Tedachi, you poor thing…What is she forcing you into?" She crooned, slipping a hand under his chin.

"If you could _not_ touch me…That'd be great," Tedachi snapped, taking a certain pride in watching the shocked look in Ren's eyes. He wasn't sure why, but something about this woman disgusted him physically. He had a hard time understanding how someone as strong as Akito had come from someone as awful as Ren.

"Tedachi is _not_ a 'poor thing!'" Akito interrupted, quickly throwing herself between them. "And I'm not forcing him into anything! He _loves_ me!"

"He loves you, does he? Just like _them_ , right?" Ren said, her voice dripping with that know-it-all superiority that made Akito's blood boil. At that moment she wanted nothing more than to reach over and strangle her, but managed to stop herself, knowing it would be to no one's benefit.

"This is _different_!"

"No it's not. Once you use him up, he'll just leave. You're a fool to believe that _anyone_ could really love you. The only person who ever loved you is _dead_. You took Akira's love from me and now he's _dead_. Wallow in this pathetic illusion of love you've created all you want…It's not going to last. He'll forsake you, like all the others. I feel bad for him, being forced to _service_ you."

"He's not…" Akito started, letting out a startled gasp when she was abruptly shoved over and cringing when she hit the ground after losing her footing due to not being used to balancing in heels.

Ren simply smiled at the result as Tedachi shot her a glare and rushed over. Everything had happened so fast he hadn't had a chance to even try and catch his girlfriend, who looked up at her mother through narrowed eyes.

"God, you're pathetic," Ren mocked as she reached for one of the wine glasses and promptly threw its contents on her daughter. She then contemplated her options for a moment before setting the glass back down and simply sweeping from the room.

"I'm sorry," Akito muttered, brushing a strand of hair out of her own face.

"For what?" Tedachi asked, running a gentle hand up and down her back.

"For _this_. Everything's _ruined_ and…I…It's…" She said, struggling to find the words as she tried to force her emotions back down. Everything had already been ruined, and she really didn't want to make it worse, figuring that if she tried hard enough they could _maybe_ salvage the night.

"You do know that what she said isn't true…right?" He said in a weak attempt to reassure her. He wasn't exactly sure what else he could say. He knew that deep down, she knew that he loved her, but Ren had a habit of pushing exactly the right buttons and making her doubt herself.

Akito only nodded as she glanced down at herself, thinking that she really did look like a whore, and a pathetic one at that. Not only was she barely wearing a thing, but she knew it looked like she was trying too hard to be sexy. The lace and heels were not going to fix her pathetic body. And, with that thought in mind she finally gave in and let the tears fall as Tedachi carefully, gently, wrapped his arms around her.

At first, she tried and failed to fight him, her nails digging into his arms as she attempted to shove him away.

' _It wasn't supposed to be like_ _ **this**_ _…Not tonight! Tonight was supposed to be…We were supposed to…'_ Akito thought, finally giving into her emotions as she loosened her grip and turned into him with a soft sob. She hated that Ren could _still_ do this to her. That with just a few words, she could completely tear her down and reduce her to nothing more than a crying little girl.

Tedachi ran a gentle hand over Akito's back, whispering occasional, soft reassurances as he let her cry out her emotions, giving a soft smile when she her sobs finally dissolved into nothing more than half-hearted whimpers. "Done?" He asked as she nodded and shifted, moving to look up at him with tear-stained eyes.

"I'm sorry. I'm _so_ sorry," She mumbled, burying her face in his chest.

"Will you _stop_ apologising? This isn't your fault."

"If you want…I guess…We could…try again?" Akito suggested, sitting up and pressing against him in a weak attempt to fix the mood, letting out a soft sigh of relief when he stopped her.

"Not now. Now, you need a bath."

"What?"

"You're…Well…You're kind of…" He said, running a hand through his hair as he searched for the right words.

It was then that she realised where he was going as she glanced down at the faint, sticky burgundy stains on her skin and clothing, a small blush creeping up when she noticed that some of it had transferred onto his shirt when she had clung to him. "I'm so…"

"No," He ordered, putting a finger to her lips, effectively silencing her as he carefully took her into his arms.

Once they reached her private bath, he simply set her down with the order to start the water as he headed out, returning sometime later with another robe and handful of necessary cleaning materials.

"Sorry. I figured it would be helpful if I took care of those candles," Tedachi explained with a shrug, getting a sidelong glance in response before she resumed staring into the half-filled tub. "I plan to take care of those awful stains as well," He said.

She simply sighed as she took the hint and stood to carefully slide the robe from her shoulders, throwing it aside and over the heels she had kicked into the corner.

"So…You _weren't_ wearing anything under that," He commented as she pulled the slip over her head, waiting while she chucked that aside as well and then handing her a bath towel.

"Thanks…" She muttered, quickly wrapping it around herself before resuming her position, an uncomfortable silence falling while she went about preparing the bath and he diligently mixed substances together and carefully fought with the stains, looking up when she finally stood and shut off the water. She then gave a soft sigh and turned to look at him from over her shoulder.

"Tedachi?"

"Hm?"

"Will you...Get in with me?"

"Oh…Sure. Just let me take care of this," Tedachi said, wringing out the fabric and watching the towel slip to the floor as she stepped into the scented water, secretly pleased that she had asked, as it signaled that the tension was falling away.

While he finished the last of the necessary stain treatment, Akito stared at the bubbles around her, trying her best to stifle her impatience as she tapped her fingers on the edge of the tub.

"Alright, alright," He teased with a laugh as he set the garments aside, having caught the displeased look in her eyes. "One day you are going to have to learn patience," He continued minutes later as he stepped in and sat across from her after throwing his own clothes aside.

Akito said nothing. She simply made her way over and settled against him, letting out a small sigh when he took his hands to her shoulders.

"I'm sorry things turned out this way," She said before she could stop herself.

"It's fine. That's not to say I'm okay with what your mother did, but _this_ isn't so bad," Tedachi said, smiling at her satisfied moan.

"No, I guess it's not," She admitted, giggling as he took his lips to her neck.

He smiled against her skin, glad to see that her mood was improving and taking it as an opportunity as he slid his hands down to caress her breasts.

" _Tedachi_ ," She said with a startled gasp.

"What?" He teased, receiving a frustrated sigh in response as she quickly shifted and turned to face him, saying not a word as she leaned in and pressed her lips to his softly, as if asking permission.

He was quick to oblige, wrapping an arm around her to pull her in closer as he deepened the kiss, pressing harder and giving into her silent demands for control, the two of them only breaking apart when they had to breathe. And, even then, it was only a matter of moments before they were once again exchanging soft, passionate kisses.

"She's a liar, you know," He commented between kisses.

"How do you figure?" Akito asked. He didn't have to be specific for her to know who he was talking about.

"Because you are most certainly _not_ a whore."

"But I…We…Right now, we're…"

"…Doing this out of love. At least, I think we are. You _do_ love me…Don't you, Akito?"

"Of course. I love you. I love you more than I've ever loved anyone."

"Then I don't see a problem," He replied, half teasing before drawing her in for another hard kiss as his hands slid up her back and her arms wrapped around his neck.

* * *

Sometime later, once the mood settled, they returned to the spare room, Akito leaning against pillows, watching as he re-lit the candles while she played with his half-empty wine glass.

"Much better," She teased, taking a brief sip as he shut the lights off, joining her shortly afterwards.

"I know this probably isn't what you planned but…"

Akito simply waved a dismissive hand at him as she set the wine glass aside. "I'm over it now. If she thinks I'm a whore, fine. I'm a whore. But, at least am I happy one," She said, running a gentle hand over his chest, the smallest of smirks gracing her lips when he gave a soft groan at the feeling of her dark-blue nails lightly grazing his skin.

Tedachi responded by drawing her in for a light kiss that she easily returned, silently demanding more as one hand threaded through her hair and the other pulled at the sash of the black, satin robe she had slipped on after their bath. Once it came undone, she sat up and let it fall from her shoulders, giving a startled gasp when he pulled her back down and effortlessly flipped them over, capturing her lips with his before she could protest, not giving her a chance to fight back as he forced his way into her mouth, groaning against her lips at her shudder as his tongue slid over hers, easily claiming dominance.

The following kiss was light and almost chaste, given just before he began kissing a trail up her jaw line to her ear and then carefully nipped at her earlobe, giving it a light tug and then whispering a soft, "I love you," leaving her with a peck on the cheek before returning to her lips, smiling against them when he felt her fingers threading through his hair as she arched against him, earning a groan against her mouth in response when he felt her taut nipples brushing against his chest, her hands easily moving from his hair, down his neck and over his shoulders

"Roll over," She commanded, her hands coming down to rest on his arms just after his lips trailed down to her neck.

"What?" He asked, pausing to look at her and raising an eyebrow when she dug her nails into his arms.

"I said… _roll over_!" She snapped, taking advantage of his shock and quickly using all of her weight to shove him over in a quick, rough move, a smirk playing at her lips when he gave in and rolled with her, allowing her to climb on top of him.

He took a moment to look her over, eyes following her every move as she quickly, eagerly straddled his waist, pinning him in place with her thighs, a teasing smile soon playing at his lips as he slowly slid his hands up her body, reveling in the soft moan he got in response as he traced nonsensical patterns along the way, fingers barely ghosting over her skin, before settling his hands on her breasts. "You look good up there," He commented, thumbs brushing over her nipples. "What exactly do you plan to do with your new position?"

" _You_ ," Akito purred as she took his hands in her own, pausing to gently caress them before she forced his arms back to the ground and held him them there, smirking at the result as she leaned over and practically assaulted his lips with hers, pressing herself against him as she sank her teeth into his lower lip. Pulling, prodding, _demanding_.

However, Tedachi wasn't giving in without a fight and ended up using every ounce of his willpower to deny her. The harder she pressed, the more he resisted.

She frowned when she pulled back, narrowed her eyes at him and moved to nip at his earlobe, giving it a hard tug and then kissing just below it.

"I don't think you understand," She hissed, running a trail of kisses down his jaw and then up to his lips, kissing him firmly and then locking eyes with him as she stated, " _I'm_ taking charge now."

The moment she finished speaking, she captured his lips again, giving a soft moan against them when his resolve broke and he finally gave in, letting her tongue meet his in a heated battle for dominance that he let her win, a strangled groan escaping his own lips when she pulled away and finally released his hands.

She shot him a look of warning, a silent command to behave as she shifted, taking her hands to his sides, fingers drawing light, nonsensical patterns along the overheated flesh, the light touches making him shudder as her lips hit his neck. She smiled against his skin at the reaction, and carefully nipped at the tender flesh between his neck and shoulder, giving the bite a gentle lick before continuing downwards, teeth and lips gently, slowly moving along his skin and leaving a series of marks along his shoulders while her nails continued the ministrations up his sides. She took her time, each move carefully calculated and torturously slow as she descended further, relishing in the mix of gasps and hard groans he gave in response. She could already feel him pressing against her thigh, even through the cloth of his boxers, which were the only garment he had bothered to put back on.

A small, smug smirk played at Akito's lips as she reached down, cupped him through the thin layer of cotton, earning a moan in response as he arched into her hand, the sound sending a pleasant shiver of arousal through her body. She _loved_ that she had such an effect on him, that with just a few, simple touches she could make him relinquish control. The thought fueled her as she shifted and gently laid her head on his chest, breath hitching when she felt his racing heart beneath her cheek, the sound of it being drowned out by the hard moan he gave when her hand slid underneath the waistband of his shorts, her palm reaching to lightly squeeze the base before her fingers made their way up along the length of him.

He gasped out her name when she repeated the motion, bringing one of his hands down to gently run over her hair when her grip tightened, her hand running the length of him one last time before she removed it and sat up, taking note of the confusion in his eyes as she leaned in to press her lips to his, drawing him into a slow, sensual kiss and then quickly descending once she pulled back, moving to slide off and then throw aside his shorts.

His breath hitched as his eyes met hers, dark, alluring and clouded over with lust as she leaned in and ran the tip of her tongue from the base of him up to the head, shivering as she let herself get lost in his scent, taste and the feel of silken hardness against her lips.

"Fuck… _Akito_ ," Tedachi moaned as he watched her give one last, slow lick before taking him in her mouth.

Akito took a certain pride in the sound of her name spilling from his lips as she sealed her lips around him, tongue curing around, exploring him as she began to suck gently, starting a slow rhythm and allowing herself time to drown in her own sensations. The texture and taste of his skin against her mouth, the eager, pulsing heat coming off his body, the mingled scent of the bath soap and his natural aroma, it all intoxicated and fueled her as she paused and then started again in earnest, gradually moving faster over him and humming softly as his hips began moving with her and she adjusted rhythms accordingly while his hand came down to tangle in her hair, his grip tightening and then loosening as she slowed considerably, the action earning her a raised eyebrow and then a frustrated groan when she abruptly pulled away moments before she sent him over, giving him one last squeeze as she climbed on top of him.

"What…Did you…Do that for?" Tedachi asked, struggling to speak through breathless gasps as she settled over top of him, smirked and carefully moved a piece of hair out of his face.

"So I can do _this_ ," She purred in response, slowly, sensually lowering herself onto him, hands braced at his shoulders, a soft moan escaping her lips at the feeling of him filling her. She saw him watching with wanton helplessness as she took him all the way to the hilt and began moving in slow, tight circles, rolling him inside her.

He endured the movements with gasps and uncharacteristic whimpers, groaning when she stopped, and leaned over to kiss him softly, swallowing the eager moan she gave when he tangled a hand in her hair and pressed harder, deeper as her hips finally started to move, setting an eager, almost desperate rhythm that only increased when she managed to force herself up, hands settling on her chest as she rode him and watched the pleasures build in his face while his hands slid up her thighs, and soon settled on her hips.

"Akito…" He gasped as he tightened his grip on her, taking a few minutes to find his voice before commanding, " _Stop_."

She did do reluctantly, shooting him a confused look. "What's wrong? Did I…"

"You didn't do anything," He reassured, gently sliding his hands up and down her sides. "I want you closer. Get in my lap."

"Wha—" Before she could get the word out, he was shifting and shoving her aside, leaving her to watch curiously as he repositioned himself and then beckoned her over, gently taking her hand in his when she offered it and setting the other on her hip as she lowered herself onto him, reaching down to guide him into her when she was settled.

"Are you…Sure this is what you want?" She gasped as she wrapped her arms around him, giving a light moan when he moved against her. Sure, she adored this position and loved how slow and intimate it was, but at the same time, she had figured that he would want to be selfish and make her do all the work while he simply drank it in. It _was_ his birthday after all.

"Absolutely," He responded, his voice right next to her ear. "I _love_ being this close to you." To emphasise his point, he brought his hands against the small of her back, and pressed her up against him, easily capturing her lips as she started to move with him.

"Ah! Oh, _Tedachi_ ," She moaned when his lips trailed down to her breasts, his tongue tracing the pebbled texture of one of her nipples while his fingers toyed with the other one, soon giving a soft, surprised squeal when his teeth sank into her sensitive flesh.

He smirked against her skin at the reaction while his hands slid down almost of their own accord and settled on her hips to urge her along while her hands tangled in his hair as she brought their lips together again, swallowing his eager groan as they moved together, slowly, intimately, her soft moans soon melting into his name when one of his hands slid in between them, fingers seeking out and soon pressing against her clit, making her cry out.

" _Tedachi_ …I'm going to…" She gasped out, her grip on his shoulders tightening as she felt a familiar heat building in her core.

"Come for me, Akito," He urged, the husky timbre of his voice making her shiver just before the sensations overwhelmed her and she threw her head back as her pleasure boiled over.

And it was a combination of everything – from the feeling of her chest rising and falling with each breath she took to the way she screamed his name and tightened around him – that finally sent him over the edge with her.

"God, I love you," He murmured once he found his voice again, his lips lightly touching hers.

"I know," She replied with a faint smirk, easily drawing him in for a soft, intimate kiss, meeting his eyes when they broke apart and simply relishing in the love that dwelt behind them. "Happy birthday," She teased, earning a light laugh and a kiss on the head that she frowned at before pulling him in for a proper kiss.

"You do know that we're not done yet, right?" He informed her as he pulled away, smiling at the frustrated groan she gave when she reluctantly untangled herself from him, looking up when he stood.

"Why would I think otherwise?" She replied, watching as he crossed the room and returned with her black heels in hand, having made it a point to grab them on their way out of the bathroom.

"You're going to put these back on," He ordered as he carefully slipped one onto her foot. "And when I go down on you, I want you to wrap your legs around me and press these into my back. Understand?"

Akito could only nod in response, all of her going hot again as she met his commanding gaze and caught the dark tone in his voice. Though he had framed it as a question she _knew_ it was an order. She _adored_ his dominant side and was quick to oblige when he came back up to pull her into a hard, rough kiss after sliding the other shoe on her foot.

* * *

At exactly six the following morning, a familiar key clicked in the main lock as Minori let herself in with a yawn, heading straight for the kitchen once she slipped her shoes off. To say she wasn't a morning person was an understatement. She despised getting up early, but took solace in the fact that starting early meant she got to leave early. A quick glance at the written schedule told her that she wasn't expecting any help until seven thirty, but she was okay with that, as there wasn't too much to do early in the morning.

After her usual cup of coffee, she decided to get to work, starting with seeking out Akito, who, after a brief search, she found curled up with Tedachi, an arm slung around him as she nestled her head into the crook of his shoulder.

' _Looks like someone had fun…'_ Minori thought with a knowing smirk as she glanced at the empty wine glasses and plates, taking special note of the black satin and heels that had been tossed aside. She then took in a breath, moved and knelt down to gently shake Akito, being careful due to her being unpredictable in the morning. Sometimes she was a decent riser, other times, she woke up with an irritated resolve that usually ended in at least one pillow _and_ her mobile being thrown at the wall.

" _Stop_ moving," Akito muttered, snuggling even closer to Tedachi while Minori sighed.

"It's not him," She said, watching as Akito finally looked up at her, eyes wide until she processed who it was. " _Busted_ ," She teased lightly.

"Shut _up_ …And _stop_ staring at me!" Akito ordered, pulling her blanket up and around herself.

"Oh, _come on_. It's not like you don't have anything I haven't seen. So…Did you have fun last night?"

Akito rolled her eyes at the comment, choosing to ignore her as she turned to her boyfriend and carefully jostled him awake, unable to hold back a smile when his hand came up to brush a piece of hair from her face.

"Well…Good morning, Gorgeous," Tedachi teased, leaning up to meet her lips in a soft, lingering kiss, only pulling away when Minori coughed.

" _Ahem_ ," She said, earning a glare from Akito that she ignored. "If you're going to do that, could you _at least_ take it into the bedroom so I can start cleaning this up before the rest of the staff arrives? I'm pretty sure the last thing you want is for them to find you – _both_ of you – like _this_."

"Fair enough," Tedachi shrugged, shooting her a look that she took as he cue to exit while he got up to pull his boxers back on. "Are you going to get up or…?" He teased as he glanced back towards Akito.

"Tedachi…Carry me," She ordered, her voice bordering on a whine.

" _Fine_ ," He said, feigning annoyance as he headed back over and carefully took her in his arms after making sure she was covered.

"I love you," She declared, gently nestling her head into his shoulder and resting a hand on his chest.

"Do you?" He teased, watching each of his steps carefully when he reached the stairs.

"Well…At least I think I do," She teased back, letting out a startled squeal when he twisted around and dropped her onto her bed.

"We'll see about that," He said in a challenging tone as he carefully slid the door shut behind him.


	11. Obligatory Summer Vacation Chapter

_**Obligatory Summer Vacation Chapter**_

 _ **Part 1**_

 _ **A/N:**_ _First, I'd like to say thank you, thank you, THANK YOU to my guest reviewer,_ _ **Haychisims**_ _._

 _And now we have what I call the obligatory vacation chapter. Because EVERY anime has at least one summer story arc. This one will come in 2 ½ parts. And I'll hope you enjoy it. It was one of my favourites to write._

* * *

 _Timeline: Early to mid August_

"Let's go on vacation," Akito declared as she turned over, propping herself up on her arm as she looked down at Tedachi, who lay next to her on the porch, staring up at the sky.

"What?" He said, forcing himself to sit up.

"Some of the family is going up to the Sohma summer home," Akito explained, reaching over him for bottle of wine they were steadily going through. "Shima wants me to go too, but I really don't want to go alone."

"But if it's a family affair then…" He started, trailing off when he caught the look on her face. "Oh! You wanted to go with me…In a romantic way."

"Alcohol turns you into an idiot..." She sighed as she played with her glass. "Anyway, it might be good for us to get away from here for awhile. The summer home has its own staff that's not associated with the estate, so we wouldn't have to dance around each other just to avoid rumours."

"Actually we _attempt_ to do that, and we kind of suck at it sometimes. I mean, we did almost get caught in the hallway last week."

"It's probably a good thing though. One more minute and I would've dragged you into my bed without caring who saw."

"And I wouldn't have protested in the slightest…So, about this trip. When are they going?"

"A week from today."

"A _WEEK_?! You know that you can't give such short notices! I have work to do around here and…" He paused. "…I'm totally dating my boss. Which means that…"

"…Getting off is the _least_ of your worries," Akito confirmed. "It might inconvenience the other maids but…"

"Who cares?" Tedachi shrugged. "You're more than worth it," He said as he gently took the wine glass out of her hands and set it aside and away from the blanket they were sitting on.

"Hey, I wasn't…"

"You know…" He cut in as he briefly glanced up into the moonlight before turning back to her. "You're really pretty in this light."

"Are you saying I'm not pretty otherwise?" She teased.

"Right. You're not pretty…"

She moved to protest, but stopped when he set a gentle hand on her cheek and forced her to look up at him.

"…You're fucking gorgeous," He said, leaning in to kiss her deeply.

"I love you," She managed to gasp out before pulling him back to her, holding back a laugh at his frustrated expression as he fumbled with the lacing on the back of her dress.

"Damn this dress…" He muttered.

"You think you'd be used to it by now," Akito teased with a small laugh as she shifted slightly and reached behind her back.

"Who the hell even has dresses like this in this day and age?"

"The strapless ones won't fit any other way. You _know_ that."

"That's right…You don't have any…"

"Tedachi?"

"Hm?"

"Shut up and _fuck me_ ," She ordered as she tangled a hand in his hair and forcefully pressed her lips to his, pulling him down with her before he could even think of saying anything else.

* * *

A week later, Tedachi paced his flat early in the morning as he double checked the bags sitting on the sofa.

' _Okay…I should have more than enough clothes. And my schedule and alibi are accounted for…Man, was Minori pissed when she got the new schedule…'_ He thought, raising an eyebrow when a knock came at the door. _'At this hour? On a Saturday?'_

" _Tedachi_!" Hazuki greeted in a sing-song voice, throwing her arms around him as soon as he opened the door.

"Hazuki?! What are you doing here?"

"I'm in town for the summer, remember?"

"I know that, but why are you here in my flat? Shouldn't you be getting settled in at my parents' place?"

"Um…About that…" She said, with a nervous laugh. "Apparently they forgot I was coming. When I got there, they weren't home…And then I called and Aunt Naoko said they were both out on business for the next month. So, I figured I'd come here."

"But you can't stay here either! I'm leaving for vacation in an hour!"

"Oooh…Vacation. Where are we going?"

" _I_ am going to the Sohma summer house with Akito. _You_ are going to my sister's," Tedachi decided as he pulled his phone out of his pocket.

"Are you saying you don't want to spend time with me?" Hazuki asked in a cute voice that he ignored as he punched in a few numbers and then waited until Miyuki answered, frowning as the conversation went on and sighing when he hung up before dialing Ryuji as Hazuki wandered around.

' _It's still as dull as ever…I wonder why he keeps everything so plain and impersonal…Oh well, at least it's clean and…What's this?'_ She thought, stopping at his desk and narrowing her eyes as she picked up a picture frame. _'I still don't get what's attractive about_ _ **her**_ _. Her figure is so out of proportion and she seems kind of bitchy. She had such an attitude when we first met…Probably thinks she's better than me for some reason.'_

"What are you doing?" Tedachi asked, his voice cutting through her thoughts.

"Oh, nothing. I was just looking. This is…Um…What is her name again? Ai…Something?"

"Akito."

"Right! I remember now! So, what's the verdict?"

He sighed. "You're coming with me. Miyuki and Ryuji both have to work so…I guess we're going on a beach holiday together."

"Really?!"

"I'm not about to give up a free vacation," He shrugged. "You just have to promise me you'll behave."

"I am not a child, Tedachi. I know how to conduct myself," Hazuki declared with a smile. _'A beach vacation with my love! It's going to be so romantic! Maybe I can convince him to get away one night…We could go on a sunset stroll and…'_ She thought, stopping when she heard rustling and found him going through her bags. "What are you doing?"

"Making sure you have everything. We're going to be there for two weeks, so…"

"I brought enough for the whole vacation, so…"

"In that case we may need to repack and rearrange some stuff…I'll call and them we're going to be late."

"Oh, Tedachi you're so dull…" Hazuki sighed, but went about helping him separate her stuff until she only had two bags, which they took with them to the main estate two hours later in a borrowed car.

"What was it you told me about _women_ always being late?" Akito commented as she stepped out of the house.

"It's nice to see you too," Tedachi said with a laugh, stepping out of the car as he spoke. "Is that everything?" He asked of the two, rolling bags she pulled behind her.

"It should be. I…" She said, stopping and trailing off when she finally noticed Hazuki stepping out of the car. "Alright, who invited that _thing_?!" She asked with a glare.

"Now that's not polite," Hazuki said with a flip of her hair. "I have a name, you know."

"Come here," Tedachi said, quickly grabbing Akito's hand and leading her a short distance away. "Technically I invited her, but not out of choice. A few months ago her parents arranged for her to stay with mine over the summer, however, a lot happened, my parents forgot and were scheduled for business trips, so, I got stuck with her."

"What about your siblings?"

"Miyuki purposefully took all the double shifts she could to have an excuse and Ryuji is still settling back into work."

" _Great_. So that means…"

"She's coming with us by default."

"That's just wonderful."

"I'm sure it won't be so bad. After all, there will be plenty of people there who can entertain her."

"Is that supposed to make me feel better? Because it's _not_ ," She snapped as she turned back towards the car. _'This isn't fair. Yes, there will be plenty of people there…But all she's going to do is charm them into being on her side. Besides, what good are other people if the only one she's interested in…'_

"Tedachi!" Hazuki called, her voice cutting through Akito's train of thought as she ran past her and clung to Tedachi's arm. "Are we leaving soon? I can't wait to start this vacation with you! I have all these ideas!"

'… _Happens to be my_ _ **boyfriend**_ _,'_ Akito thought with a scowl that reappeared quite a few times through the five hour car ride as Hazuki babbled on with nonsense about school and her modeling and ridiculously elaborate plans for the trip, all while leaning over the seats to fiddle with the radio and making them stop for an hour to explore a random shopping centre.

"We're here!" Hazuki declared cheerfully when the house finally came into view. "And look at that ocean! It's _SO_ blue!"

Akito let out an exasperated sigh as the other girl continued to point out mundane landmarks. _'God, you are_ _ **SO**_ _annoying…'_ She thought with another sigh as they finally stopped. _'...And nauseating…If only we could have left you at the damn mall…'_

"Feeling any better?" Tedachi asked moments later as he helped her out.

"A little," Akito admitted, taking the hand he offered.

" _Aki-Chan_! You _did_ come!" Tohru exclaimed as she bounded down the stairs and promptly, suddenly threw her arms around the other woman, failing to notice how she stepped back and tensed up, until she was pushing her off.

"Please…don't touch me."

"She's not feeling well," Tedachi explained as Hazuki finally stepped out of the car herself and the remaining house guests made themselves known.

"Oh…I'm sorry," Tohru said. "I can get Hatori if…"

"I'll be fine. Just give me a minute."

Behind her, Hazuki scoffed. "You are _such_ a faker," She whispered, quickly elbowing her in the back and watching with a smirk as the other woman took in a breath and then glared at her.

"Don't do that!" Akito snapped once she got a hold on her nausea. She had already thrown up once that day and was not interested in repeating the experience.

"Do what?"

"Excuse me…" Tohru spoke up. "But…Um…"  
"Who the hell are these guys?" Kyo asked bluntly as he stepped up.

"I'm sorry," Tedachi said, setting down one of the bags. "I didn't introduce myself. I'm Tedachi Sohma. I work in the main house."

"And I'm Hazuki Kino," Hazuki said in her bubbly voice. "I'm his cousin."

"Wait a minute…" Machi muttered as she looked Hazuki over. "I know you! You're the model for that little dress shop!"

"Oh no! I've been recognised!"

"You're a lot prettier in person, you know."

"Oh, stop it. You're SO much prettier than I am and your dress is just adorable!" Hazuki gushed, taking Machi's hands as she looked over her simple white and green sundress. "And you!" She said, turning towards Tohru. "You really make the colour on those hair flowers pop! They look amazing on you!"

"You really think so?" Tohru lit up.

"Someone needs to slap her…" Akito muttered as she leaned against the car, watching the scene unfold with Tedachi at her side and then cringing when Hazuki started complementing the kids. "Fuck it. I'm going to slap her."

"No you're not," He warned, grabbing her wrist before she could take even a step.

"And who are these cuties?" Hazuki said of the trio, who stood in front of Hatori.

Nori looked up at her and then pointed to herself. "Nori," She introduced herself before pointing to everyone else as she introduced them one by one. "Seiya, Hime, Unca 'Tori, Unca 'Gure, Auntie Mayu, Kyo, Yun-Yun, Chi-Chan, Auntie Tohru…" She said, breaking from the group to make her way over to where Akito stood, grabbing her skirt once she was close enough. "Ki-Chan." She declared, holding her arms up.

"No, Ki-Chan is not going to pick you up right now," Akito informed her.

"Why?"

"She's not feeling well," Tedachi explained.

Nori looked up and tilted her head at him, confused as to who this man was. She felt like she had seen him before, but wasn't quite sure. "Who you?" She finally asked.

"Me? I'm Tedachi."

"T…Te…Ta…Ta'chi!" Nori decided, smiling at her brilliance.

"No. Te. Da. Chi."

"Ta'Chi!"

"Don't bother. Once she gives you a name, that's it," Hatori explained. "You're basically branded for life."

"Alright," Tedachi shrugged. "Ta'Chi it is then."

Nori simply smiled, deciding that she liked this new person.

"Now that that's done, why don't you come inside and get settled?" Mayuko suggested, motioning for some of the nearby maids to come and gather the luggage as she reached for Nori's hand.

"Wait…Where's Shima?" Akito asked as they headed inside.

"She had a last minute meeting with her editor," Shigure explained as he knelt down and let Seiya climb up his back. "But she'll be here tomorrow."

"Now, about the rooms…" Mayuko contemplated.

"Well…Hazuki can probably stay with Shima," Tedachi mused.

"Absolutely _not_!" Akito snapped. "You are not inflicting that _thing_ on my best friend!"

"I don't want to share a room anyway," Hazuki cut in, grabbing onto Tedachi's arm as she said, "Unless it's with my lovely Tedachi, of course!"

"I'm sure we could…" Mayuko started.

" _No_. He's staying with _me_ ," Akito interrupted.

"But…That just seems so wrong. At least we're family," Hazuki said, noting how Akito scowled at her cute voice.

"She has a point…" Tohru said. "I mean, it might give off the wrong impression if…"

"Wrong impression of what? He's my _boyfriend_ for God's sake!"

At that, everyone stopped and simply stared, looking from Akito to Tedachi and back again as she realised that they hadn't known.

"This…Is not happening," Shigure declared. "There's no way…"

"You're kidding, right?" Kyo asked. "Who'd be crazy enough to…Ah!" He said, glaring when Yuki elbowed him.

"What?! But…You…You never mentioned him before…" Tohru said.

"Yes I have. Shima knows," Akito informed them, growing increasingly aggravated with their stares. All she wanted was to go upstairs and lay down, but instead she found herself in the middle of a family inquisition.

"Oh…Um…Well then…Your room is the third one on the left," Mayuko said, pointing up the stairs. "And you can have the last room on the right," She informed Hazuki. "And don't worry, you'll be by yourself. Shima already said she'd share the room with her brother."

"Which would be…You?" Hazuki asked, pointing to Shigure.

"Um…Yes. How did you…?"

"Easy. I've met your sister before. You look just like her!"

"Actually, she looks like me. I'm her _older_ brother."

"Oh! I should have known! I'm SO sorry! There I go, being a ditz again!"

"It's fine. Come on, I'll show you to your room."

Hazuki simply gave him a cute smile as she followed diligently.

"So…What's her deal anyway?" Kyo asked as he followed Akito and Tedachi, carrying one of her bags.

"Who? Hazuki?" Tedachi asked.

"There's something not right about her…I just know it," Kyo mused as they entered the room in question and he set the bag down.

"You just have to get used to her is all," Tedachi shrugged as he left to grab the final bag, which had been left in the main hall.

After he left, Kyo lingered a minute, watching as Akito threw one of her suitcases on the bed and started rifling through it, wondering if he should ask the question that was on his mind. He knew it was none of his business, but at the same time, he was also rather curious, though he wasn't sure if he wanted to chance it in case she was in a bad mood.

"Is there a reason you're still here?" She finally asked.  
"Oh…It's just…Well…" He sighed. "What's his deal?"

"Tedachi?"

"Yeah. Like, where did he come from anyway? He shows up here saying he works at the main house and then you claim he's your boyfriend…I just…I dunno. I guess I'm a little confused."

"He started working for me shortly after New Years. He's kind of…an all purpose servant. He cooks, he cleans, he does yard work…We hired him because we needed a guy to do some of the bigger projects. He's worked all around the estate, but is actually on my staff roster. And…He…He's always been more than a servant. Since the first day, he's been my friend. He treats me like a person and has always made it a point to have conversations with me and get to know me in a way beyond my being his boss. Over time…Somehow we fell for each other. I didn't realise it until he had to take leave to visit his brother after the accident…But in the short time he'd been in my life, I'd not only fallen in love with him, but _stupid_ in love with him. There are times when he aggravates the shit out of me and I find myself wanting to smack that stupid smile off his face…But other times…I just want to grab him and not let go. Before this…I didn't even know I could feel this way…And…Sorry, I must be boring you…"

"No, it's fine. I was the one who asked," Kyo shrugged. "Though I must admit, it's weird…Hearing _you_ of all people talking like that."

"I know. The whole thing caught me off guard. I actually fainted when Shima told me I was in love."

"It's fine…I get it, you know. I spent a lot of time fighting my own feelings too. But, when I finally stopped…And…when she finally said she felt the same way…"

"It felt like things were finally starting to come together?"

"Yeah…Now, what's the deal with the girl?"

"Oh…The _thing_."

"Yeah, her. Something seems off about her, it's almost like she's…"

"Fake?"

"Yeah, how did you…?"

"It's a secret."

"Fine…I'll figure it out on my own," Kyo shrugged as he left, glancing at Tedachi as they crossed paths.

"Sorry I took so long," Tedachi said as he reentered and set the last bag down. "I got the once over from Hatori's wife."

"Mayuko," Akito informed him.

"Right…It might take some time for me to learn everyone's names."

"Can you start learning them after we unpack? The sooner we get done, the sooner I can..." She said, stopping when he approached and grabbed her hand.

"Just let me do it. You should lie down."

"Are you sure? I…"

"If I wasn't, I wouldn't have said it," He said with small smile that first reassured her and then Tohru later that evening as he assisted her with preparing dinner.

"You really don't have to do this…" She said again as he diligently chopped up some vegetables.

"It's fine. I like being in the kitchen," He said, gathering up the vegetables as Tohru grabbed some plates and set them aside while he turned to pick up the mix for the curry.  
"Tedachi! You're going to make sure the curry is extra spicy, right?" Hazuki asked as she threw open the door.

"Um…I'm not sure if…"

"Absolutely _not_ ," Akito snapped as she came up behind Hazuki.

"But, _why not_? I like spicy food!"

"Well, I _don't_. And I'm the head of this family!"

"I like how you have no other defense but rank! You are _so_ pathetic!"

"Okay…You know what?!"

" _What_?!"

"Will you two stop?" Tedachi sighed. "Akito, I promise whatever I make for you will be sweet."

"There you go again, giving into her. It's not fair you know. If anyone should be getting special treatment it's your future wife."

"It's not special treatment. I have to make two batches anyway. The kids can't have spicy curry."

At that, Hazuki laughed. "That means you have the same taste as a bunch of two-year-olds."

"Just because I can't handle spicy curry doesn't mean…"

"Ki-Chan!" Seiya interrupted as she ran up. "Play!" She declared.

"Sorry about that," Shigure shrugged as he approached. "She got away from me."

"It's fine," Akito said, leaning down to take Seiya in her arms. "What are we playing?"

"I've got an idea!" Hazuki said before Seiya could answer. "Why don't you play with me, instead? I brought lots of pretty dresses you can try on!"

Seiya titled her head and then looked from Hazuki to Akito, firmly declaring, "Ki-Chan" and wrapping her arms around her neck.

' _Fine…Be that way you little brat…'_ Hazuki thought, scowling as Akito headed off with Shigure.

"I guess that means you're free to help me," Tedachi declared.

"Oh! Of course! Anything for you, Tedachi!" She said with a wide smile that stayed on her face as she and Tohru served dinner awhile later.

"Sorry it's so plain," Tedachi said as he sat. "But there wasn't much to work with and it was easy to make in a large quantity."

"It's perfectly fine," Yuki replied. "And it looks much better than the ramen Machi and I had last night."

"It will taste a lot better too," Hazuki declared, taking a place next to Tedachi. "Tedachi's cooking is the best!" She gave them all another cute smile just as Akito appeared and rolled her eyes at the scene before they all settled down to eat.

"Wait…Where's everyone else?" Machi asked a few minutes later.

"Hatori, Mayuko and Shigure decided to eat with the girls in another room so they wouldn't disturb us because the kids can be messy," Tohru explained.

"Oh. That was nice of them…I guess."

"I'm sure we'll all have at least one meal together before the trip is over. It'll be nice to eat with everyone together."

"This is hardly spicy enough…" Kyo muttered, interrupting the conversation.

"What?"

"The curry. I was told it would be extra spicy…But there's no kick at all."

"He's right…" Tohru agreed.

"Really?" Akito asked.

"Yeah…You wanna try some?" Tohru offered her spoon.

"Don't." Tedachi set a hand on Akito's shoulder and gently pulled her back.

"But…"

"Just wait…" He said as she stared at him before Hazuki let out a startled shriek and both Kyo and Yuki's faces flushed red.

"Now that's what I call a _kick_!" Kyo declared as the flavour finally hit him, eagerly shoving another spoonful in his mouth, while, next to him, Tohru quickly downed her water.

"It's good," She said. "I just think it's…"

"Too much for you?" Akito guessed.

"A little…I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Tedachi shrugged. "I'm sure Kyo will be happy to eat yours."

"We can share mine," Machi offered, as she had opted for the sweeter batch. "It's a little much for me to eat by myself."

"Oh, well…If you're okay with it…" Tohru said.

"Of course!"

Tohru simply smiled back and quickly switched places with Yuki so that she could sit next to Machi as the meal continued with a light air that eventually faded as everyone turned in early, understandably exhausted from the traveling and the day's events. However, despite her exhaustion, Hazuki still ended up awake at five in the morning due to her internal clock. After contemplating her choices for a few minutes, she decided to get up and, once she was dressed, sought out Tedachi, whom she knew was usually awake early. All the times she had visited, he was often the first one awake. Though, she also knew his schedule had been thrown off lately, as he had been assigned to a lot of late, lock up shifts.

' _It's quiet…'_ She thought as she wandered the halls. _'Not even the servants are up…It's kind of nice though. It's relaxing and…Everything here is so airy and open. Plus, it helps that it's a nice day outside…That's it! Maybe I can convince Tedachi to take me on a walk or something. He loves being outside and we didn't get a chance to explore the beach yesterday…So, I guess it's settled!'_ She decided, picking up her pace as she reached the next hallway, and then quickly throwing open the door once she came to it.

"Tedachi!" She called in her sing-song voice, frowning when he didn't respond. "Oh, come on. You can't still be sleeping," She said as she practically skipped over to the bed and started shaking him. "Come on! Wakey wakey!"

"Hazuki?" He murmured, groaning as he moved onto his back and looked up at her smiling face.

"Hi there, Sleepyhead!" She teased.

"What are you doing here?"

"I was up and wandering around and I thought, 'what a beautiful day!' We really shouldn't waste it! We should do something! Now! Early mornings are the best because there's no one around! We can be all alone on our lovers' stroll!" Hazuki declared, moving dramatically as she spoke.

"Look, you can't just…" Tedachi started, pausing when he felt movement next to him.

"What the hell is all that noise?" Akito snapped as she sat up, narrowing her eyes at Hazuki, who stood, frozen in shock for a moment before her anger took over.

"And just what do you think you're doing?!" She practically screamed. "I told you to _STAY AWAY_ from my future husband! Why the _fuck_ are you in his bed?!"

"Why the fuck are _you_ yelling at six in the morning?" Akito shouted back.

"You're setting a wonderful example, aren't you?" Tedachi said, earning a glare in response that he ignored as he looked up at his cousin. "She does have a point though. It _is_ early and I'm tired. Hazuki, go do something with yourself, and you," He said, twirling one of Akito's bangs around his finger. "Go back to sleep."

Hazuki pouted while Akito did as she was told and laid back down, having just gotten settled when she felt herself being forcefully moved over as Hazuki crawled up the middle of the bed and wedged herself between her and Tedachi.

"Hazuki…" Tedachi sighed as the girl wrapped an arm around him.

"You're right, it's early. I think I should sleep too!" She decided, laying her head on him as he let out an aggravated sigh, knowing there wasn't much he could do. If he kicked her out, she'd just make a fuss and other people might come running, so he let her stay and she smirked as she settled in and then forcefully kicked Akito off the side of the bed, holding back a laugh as she heard the other woman hit the ground.

" _Hazuki_ ," Tedachi snapped as he sat up as best he could with her clinging to him. "Are you okay?" He asked Akito.

"I'm _fine_ ," She snapped as she forced herself up.

"You should…"

"No, I'm already awake, I might as well stay up," Akito decided, not wasting another moment as she quickly exited the room and headed downstairs and into the kitchen, where Tohru was rummaging through cupboards.

"Good morning, Aki-Chan!" Tohru exclaimed when she turned around at the sound of Akito's footsteps. "You're up early!"

' _How can you be so cheerful so early in the morning?'_ Akito thought with a scowl, watching as Tohru poked around some more before making a note on a nearby pad. "What are you doing?"

"Making our grocery list."  
"Don't we have servants for that?"

"Yes, but I wanted to do it myself because I'm going to be doing a lot of the cooking."

"Why?"

"Because I like cooking for everyone, and I know that Tedachi does too. He was so helpful last night," Tohru smiled as she made another note, her face soon turning serious. "That reminds me…About Tedachi…He…Um…He's good to you, right?"

"If he wasn't, he wouldn't be here right now," Akito replied, leaning against the counter. "Why do you ask?"

"It's just that…I worry about you, you know. And sometimes I feel bad that I'm so far away…I can't always be there for you or the others when I want to be…I mean, I didn't even know you'd met anyone, nonetheless…"

"It's fine. No one did, except for Shima. As for the other part, don't worry about it. I have plenty of people looking out for me, when I need you, you'll know it. Now, it's my turn to ask you a question."

"Huh?"  
"Now that you've met her, what do you think of Hazuki?"

"She's really sweet!" Tohru said with a smile. "And cute too! She was actually giving me advice about my clothing last night and loaned me this really nice dress…But I don't know if I'll wear it…It's not really me. But…there is one thing…What is it about her and Tedachi?"

"Hazuki's had a crush on him since she was a kid, but he's not interested."

"Oh…Alright then," Tohru said with a satisfied smile that Akito raised a curious eyebrow at.

' _Was she…worried for me?'_ Akito thought, the softest of smiles on her face.

"The store won't be open for awhile…We should do something!" Tohru declared suddenly.

"Don't you have to make breakfast?"

"I can't do that without any ingredients," Tohru laughed, her attention soon turning to the other woman's hands, which were wrapped around the edge of her counter she was leaning on. "I know! Let me do your nails!"

"What?"

"Please? It was so much fun the last time we did it! I even have these cute jewels that…You know what? Let me just show you!" Tohru declared as she sauntered off with a cheerful smile that returned later that afternoon as everyone gathered on the beach, her running ahead of the group with Machi, and then stopping when she realised something seemed to be missing.

"Where's Hazuki?" She asked everyone. "She seemed really excited to come out with us."

' _Who cares?'_ Akito thought as she settled on a beach towel and threw her bag next to her.

"I'm _here_!" Hazuki called moments later as she ran along the sand, trying to catch up to the group. "I'm SO sorry I'm late! I just couldn't pick a swimsuit…And then I had some trouble with my hair."

"Oh, _wow_ ," Machi said as she eyed Hazuki's green, string bikini. "You are so obviously a model. Your figure is amazing!"

"Oh, no way! I don't think I'm that different from you guys."

"But you are! You're really pretty!" Tohru insisted.

"And you're way more developed than us…Even though you're so much younger."

"Oh, please. Stop teasing me, Machi," Hazuki said, feigning embarrassment as she thought, _'Well, duh guys! I_ _ **know**_ _I'm crazy adorable! And this swimsuit is SO hot! You should feel honoured to be in my presence! Lick my shadow you dirty commoners! Lick it!'_

"She's up to that nonsense again," Akito muttered to herself right before her hat came down over her eyes.

"What's with that face?" Tedachi teased as she adjusted the sunhat that he had knocked into her face. "You're on vacation, you should be smiling."

"But, she's…"

"Don't worry about her. She's just looking for an excuse to show off," He shrugged. "She actually took an hour to pick a swimsuit. Which reminds me…Why aren't you wearing one?"

"I don't own one. I have no need to and frankly, the idea makes me uncomfortable," Akito confessed, staring into the dark -pink flower pattern printed at the bottom of her white sundress.

"I think you'd look nice though," He commented setting a hand over hers as he leaned over slightly, his lips hovering over hers as Hazuki called him.

"Tedachi!" She said. "You should come swimming with us!"

"Um…Sure," He shrugged, throwing off his shirt as he stood.

' _Damn her! She did that on purpose!'_ Akito thought, scowling as she grabbed her bag and dug through it, eventually settling down with a book, alternating between watching everyone play and reading until a familiar voice cut through her thoughts.

"Hi there!" Shima said, taking a place next to her friend. "Why aren't you out with everyone else?"

"I'm not really into beaches."

"Other than sitting on them and reading?"

"Where did you come from?"

"I arrived about thirty minutes ago. When I got inside, found a note saying everyone had come here, so, I grabbed a swimsuit and a towel and here I am! Can I borrow that?"

"I'm glad you're here," Akito admitted, handing over the sunscreen the other girl had been pointing at. "You can…"

"Are you sure? I think it would look really good on you!" Hazuki was saying to Tohru as they looked over a catalogue nearby.

"Oh no! I couldn't! It's just…"

"Sure you could! And I'm sure Kyo would love it too!"

"Great. Who invited that thing?" Shima sighed.

"Tedachi got stuck with her for the summer," Akito explained.

"Oh, so he is here."

Akito nodded. "He walked off a few minutes ago."

"Ooh, I bet you have lots of _fun_ things planned for him, don't you?" Shima teased, laughing when she was immediately pushed over. "Okay…I get it. Where's my brother?"

"Hunting for seashells with the girls."

"I should go help him then. There's no way he can handle those three all alone. I'll catch you later, okay?" Shima said, running off with a smile.

"When did she get here?" Tedachi asked as he came up behind her.

"A half hour ago, apparently. Where were you?" Akito asked while he settled next to her.

"Tohru thought it would be a good idea for everyone to have a treat, so I offered to go inside and get the ice cream. Here," He said, presenting her with an ice cream cone. "You once mentioned that you liked banana chocolate."

"That's way too much for me to eat on my own."

"I know. I figured we could share."

She simply gave him a smile that easily turned into an aggravated frown when Hazuki suddenly appeared in front of her and licked the ice cream.

"Hey! This is really good. I wonder why I never tried this flavour before…" She commented.

"That was _mine_."

"Oh, stop being selfish. I'm sure Tohru and the others have plenty more," Hazuki said with a smile before turning to her cousin. "Now you try!" She said.

"Hazuki, I…"

"Come on! _Please_!" She begged, practically shoving it in his face.

"Personal space, Hazuki," He warned.

"Oh! I'm sorry!" She exclaimed as she recoiled, failing to pay attention as one of her hands flailed back. _'Hey…Where did…?'_ She thought, turning to look behind her when Akito let out a startled shriek as the ice cream cone collided with her dress.

"You did that on _purpose_!"

"No I didn't! Not this time, I swear!" Hazuki said, her voice actually hinting sincerity. "Besides, why would I waste good ice cream on _you_?"

"What happened?" Tohru interrupted before Akito could even think of a retort, gasping when she processed the scene and quickly reaching for the other woman's hand. "Come on! We have to treat this _now_ if you don't want it to stain."

"Don't worry! We'll be here when you get back!" Hazuki assured, earning an eye roll from Akito right before Tohru dragged her off.

"You better not have done that on purpose," Tedachi warned as soon as they were gone. "Because if you did and it stains, you're paying for it."

"Of course not. Like I told her, it would be stupid to waste ice cream like that. I wasn't paying attention is all. Besides, even if I did, finding another dress wouldn't be that hard."

"It is when all of your dresses are custom made."

"What?! No _way_! Every single one?!"

Tedachi nodded. "That's what she claims."

' _Geez…And I thought I was high maintenance! I can't believe she gets all her dresses made for her. If that doesn't scream 'diva' I don't know what does. Though that would be a funny word to use for her…I mean, divas are at least pretty.'_ Hazuki thought with a frown, while, inside, Tohru busily scrubbed at fabric.

"It should be okay," She informed Akito with a smile.

"I hope so…I really liked that one," Akito admitted as she contemplated two different belts and eventually settled on the one with the butterfly buckle, slipping it through the loops of the denim skirt she had changed into and matched with a light-pink shirt and cropped, short-sleeved, black cardigan.

"Just let me run it through the wash and we should be fine."  
"You have to wash it on gentle. And it doesn't go in the dryer," Akito informed her. "All of those dresses are like that."

"Right!" Tohru nodded and they headed back downstairs, where the servants were handed the dress and given the instructions before they both headed back out.

"Ki-Chan back!" Nori declared when they returned. "Auntie Tohru too!"

"Were you waiting for us?" Tohru asked, smiling as she took the little girl into her arms.

"Ice cream!"

"I see the ice cream. Did you have some?"

"Yes she did, so don't let her con you into giving her more," Hatori said. "She's good at that."

"Well, that's not very nice, is it?"

Nori simply giggled and wrapped her arms around Tohru's neck.

"Me too!" Himeko declared as she ran up to them.

"I don't think I can hold both of you…"

Himeko frowned and then looked up at Akito expectantly as Seiya got up from the table and headed over as well.

"Here, I'll take one of them," Hazuki offered, grabbing Seiya as Akito finally relented and picked Himeko up. "Look at you! You're adorable!" She said. "Hina…No, that's not right…Um…Hm…Your name is…"

" _Seiya_ ," Akito informed her. "And this is Himeko and that one is Nori."

"Oh, right! Sorry!" Hazuki said with a cheerful smile that Akito rolled her eyes at before heading off to join everyone else. "Hey! Wait for us!"

"You know, I was just about to take them near the shore to build a sandcastle," Yuki said.

"Ooh! That sounds like fun!" Tohru smiled. "Doesn't it, girls?"

"Ice cream," Nori replied.

"Oh no. Uncle Hatori said no more."

"Ice cream?" Seiya asked.

"You already had some too," Mayuko told her.

"Oh come on," Hazuki chimed in. "A little more wouldn't hurt! They are on vacation, after all!"

"Please, don't get them started," Mayuko snapped. "We've already made it clear that the answer is 'no.' Do _not_ send them mixed messages."

"Oh, well…I…"

Mayuko ignored her and went about gathering the remainder of the treats together before handing the stuff to Hatori and Shigure while Yuki and Kyo gathered the little girls and ushered them towards the shoreline.

"Hey! Check this out!" Machi said as soon as they were gone, presenting the other women with a magazine. "I didn't know you did work for this brand," She said to Hazuki.

"Oh, that was a one-time thing. But, I am working my way up. I have an audition for Polaris coming up in a few weeks."

"Polaris? You mean _the_ Polaris?!" Shima gasped.

"Yes. I'm trying out to be one of their teen models. But, the lady on the phone said I might be more suited to do the adult stuff, which is…Well…A little embarrassing. It's just…so sexy. But, on the other hand, the teen collection can be a little downplayed and childish at times."

"You're just looking at the wrong stuff," Shima said as she eagerly latched onto Akito's arm. "Ask Akito, she has a ton of their stuff from that collection."

" _Shima_ ," Akito snapped in warning. "They don't need to know that!"

"Right…Like I'm supposed to believe that a brand with as much style and class as Polaris makes things to fit _you_ ," Hazuki commented, to which Tohru and Machi exchanged a look that she quickly caught. "Oh! I'm sorry…I just meant that, you seem like you'd be a little more…Um…conservative with that kind of stuff and some of their stuff can be a little showy."

"Sometimes that's good though. There are clothes that are meant to show off cute bras, that's why they make show-bras," Shima said.

"Show-Bra?" Machi asked.

"It's a bra that's meant to be seen with certain items of clothing. They usually have lace or rhinestones on the straps and are made in bright colours," Hazuki explained. "I can show you some of mine later if you want an example."

"Really? That would be great! I mean…It's not like I'm doing anything…It's just…I kind of want to wear cuter underwear but…I don't know where to start."

"I can't believe you want _my_ advice! I'm really no one special!"

"Gets annoying, doesn't it?" Mayuko commented as she came up behind Akito and Shima.

"Huh?" Shima asked.

"Her act. It's a little aggravating."

"How did you…?"

"I'm a high school teacher, I've seen this before. These girls act all sweet, but they tend to be really conceited and it's annoying. I mean, why can't people just be honest with themselves? Also, what's her deal with your boyfriend?"

"Even I don't know anymore," Akito replied. "All I can tell you is that she thinks they're engaged or something and it's getting on my nerves."

"He doesn't help either," Mayuko pointed out, watching as Hazuki broke from the girls and proceeded to drag Tedachi into the water with her. "I haven't once seen him try and correct her or tell her to back off. All he's doing is helping her hide herself."

' _He is…Isn't he?'_ Shima thought for a minute, quickly shaking it off and giving a squeal when she was grabbed from behind and lifted into the air.

"You know, I never realised how light you were…I may never have to spend money on the gym," Shigure commented.

"Don't use me as a weight, Nii-San!" Shima snapped while Hatori, Mayuko and Akito all let out exasperated sighs.

* * *

"What do you think will go over better?" Tohru asked Tedachi later that evening as they flipped through recipe cards. "Sweet and sour pork…Or rice omelets? Because they both sound good…"

"Maybe we should…"

"Tedachi!" Hazuki interrupted as she stepped into the room in a one-strap, light-blue dress with a layered skirt. "You don't have to worry about that anymore! We're going out to eat!"

"Wait…What?" Tedachi asked with a raised eyebrow.

"You heard me! Go upstairs and change! Now!" She ordered, eagerly shoving him out the door.

' _Fine…I'll do it…But only because I'm not about to turn down a free meal. But, why would she decide this so suddenly? Especially when I really wanted to help Tohru, she's fun to cook with. And she doesn't step all over me like my sister does,'_ He thought as he made his way up the stairs, pausing in the doorway to his room when found Akito rifling through the closet, comparing dresses until she threw the one in her left hand aside.

"What are you doing?" He asked.

"Looking for an outfit. I thought we could go out tonight. Shima told me about this classy bar in town and I figured it would be nice to go out and not have to sneak around," Akito explained, turning toward the mirror and holding up a black dress. "Now, what do you think of this dress?"

"Um…I think you're going to have to hold off on wearing it."

"What?"

"Well, Hazuki just told me that she and I are going out to dinner tonight. She was already dressed…So I'm assuming she made reservations or something. And…"

"It's… _fine_. We can go out another night," Akito interrupted, using all of her willpower to both hide her disappointment and fight the urge to smack her boyfriend across the face for even thinking of putting Hazuki before her in this instance.

"It's just…You know how she is," Tedachi sighed.

"Right…" She muttered, as he moved to get into the closet.

"Thanks," He said, pausing when she looked up at him expectantly and then gently ruffling her hair before heading off into the bathroom.

' _What was that about?! I don't even get a damn kiss? Bastard,'_ She thought with a scowl as she stomped downstairs, glaring at the sight of Hazuki playing with her mobile as she waited patiently by the door, looking up when she felt Akito's presence.

"Oh! I didn't see you there. I'm borrowing Tedachi for the night, so don't wait up for him. We'll probably be out late. _Really_ late," Hazuki said with one of her signature smiles.

" _Shut up_ ," Akito snapped. "You are so full of it!"

' _Well…That was rude,'_ Hazuki thought as the other woman headed into the next room, putting on a smile as she settled down with Mayuko and Himeko and holding in her disappointment when she heard the door open and close.

"Are you okay?" Mayuko asked.

"I'm fine," Akito replied, feigning a smile as Himeko handed her a stuffed animal.

"Is it…?"  
"I said I'm _fine_."

"Alright…" Mayuko threw her hands up in surrender and turned back to her daughter. "In that case…I guess I'm playing with Luna, and you've been charged with Neko-Chan," She said, looking at the stuffed cats they each held.

' _A cat named cat? Well…I guess she is only two…'_ Akito thought, giving a soft smile when Himeko made her way over and climbed into her lap, staying there as they played up until supper, finding that Tohru had ended up deciding on the omelets, because they were easier to make in large quantities.

"See this?" Shigure said to Seiya as she set the plates down, each one labeled with the person's name…in Ketchup. "This says 'Seiya.'"

"Me!" Seiya declared before turning to his plate. "What that?"

"This? This says 'Shigure.'"

"You!"

"Yes, me."

' _He might as well be her Dad…He'd definitely be a better one than Kaito…'_ Akito thought with a small smile, looking up at Tohru when her own plate hit the table.

"Sorry I'm late," Shima said as she entered, closing her mobile with one hand. "I was on the phone with my editor."

"Oh?" Shigure said.

"She said that they liked my pitch! Right after this holiday I get to work on publishing my first full-length novel!"

"Really?! That's great!" Tohru exclaimed.

"It's about time too," Shigure commented. "You've been slaving over that thing for a year and a half."

"And for a good reason," Hatori added. "Your writing is pretty good."

"Thanks," Shima smiled as she sat down, tilting her head when she looked up and found Akito sitting across from her. "Akito? What are you doing here?"

"You are kidding, right?"

"Well, I saw Tedachi leave an hour ago and I assumed you went with him. You did say you were going to ask him about going out tonight."

"He took Hazuki out instead."

' _I am going to_ _ **kill**_ _that girl! And while I'm at it, I'll kill him too…'_ Shima thought with a scowl.

"It's fine, though. She asked first."

"What kind of excuse is _that_?!" Kyo snapped.

"Kyo…" Tohru said in an attempt to stop him.

"No. You make it a point to invite him on vacation with you and he spends all of his time with _her_. What is that about?!"

"Can we not talk about this? It's really none of your business," Akito snapped.

" _Fine_. But don't…"

"Kyo, stop," Tohru said.

' _He's right though…'_ Akito thought a bit later with a sigh as she picked at her plate.

"Are you feeling alright?" Machi finally asked.

"Hm? Yes, I'm alright. I'm just…I'm not hungry right now is all. Excuse me."

"I'm done too," Shima declared soon afterwards as she stood and made her way out of the room and up the stairs. "Akito?" She asked, knocking when she came to her door, frowning when she didn't receive an answer. "I'm coming in," She warned, quietly pushing the door open to find Akito lying on her side on the bed, staring up along the wall.

"Go _away_ ," Akito ordered.

"Not until you talk to me. As much as you try and hide it, I _know_ you're upset…And I know it's about Tedachi."

"What part of 'go away' do you not understand?!" Akito snapped as she sat up and turned towards her friend, who made her way over and sat on the bed.

"Please, don't be like this, not with me."

Akito simply looked down, played with the blanket for a moment and then gripped it tightly as she muttered, "This…This isn't fair."

"What's not fair?"

" _Everything_! I wasn't even going to come here until I realised that I could invite him…That we could use it as a chance to be with each other and not have to hold back or dance around nosy servants and rumours. Then…that…that _thing_ shows up and just ruins everything. She has him wrapped around her fingers and I _hate_ it! I hate her and I hate _him_ for doing this to me!" Akito admitted, letting her head fall into Shima's lap as all of her pent up emotions came out of her and she finally started to cry.

' _I am seriously going to kill that man…'_ Shima thought, setting a gentle hand on her back.

"I wonder if maybe…I'm doing something wrong. Am I even right to be upset? I mean, he _does_ see me almost every day, but…"

"Don't you _dare_ finish that thought," Shima scolded. "It doesn't matter that he comes to work every day, this is different. You went out of your way to invite him out here only to have him turn all his attention on another woman. If anything, he should be lucky he's not _dead_."

"I feel so _stupid_. I even thought about doing all these obnoxiously romantic things…You know, the sunset walks on the beach, running off into town and doing nothing all day, hot vacation sex on the balcony…all of it!"

' _Well…That explains why you ended up with this room…'_ Shima thought as she said, "You are not the stupid one here, he is. He needs to put his foot down with her."

"You know…He hasn't kissed me once since we've arrived? In fact, he barely looks at me. I know it shouldn't bother me, but it does. And it _hurts_."

"As it should. It hurts to feel like you're in the way and not loved…Especially by someone you really care about. I know it's not exactly the same, but…When I was little, all I wanted for the longest time was for my brother to acknowledge me and smile at me. I thought it was weird that the other kids in school got such love from their brothers and I didn't…So I tried. I tried as hard as I could to get on his good side, but all he ever did was shrug me off and say nasty things…And it hurt. All I wanted to do was love him, and all he wanted to do was pretend I wasn't there."

"I don't think he's doing it on purpose though…He wouldn't intentionally hurt me like that."

"Ignorance is not an excuse. He should _know_ better," Shima assured with a scowl. _'And if he doesn't learn soon…He's going to get it.'_ She thought, holding that thought late into the evening, when, as she brushed her hair following a late bath near midnight, she caught the sound of Hazuki giggling as she and Tedachi made their way back to the house.

"I had a lovely time tonight," Hazuki was saying as he fiddled with his keys and opened the door.

' _Well…That makes one of us…Not that it wasn't nice to get out, but…'_ He thought as he finally managed to get the door open.

"Oh, you're back," Shima said as she came down the stairs.

"For now, anyway. We're going to take a walk down to the beach next," Hazuki said, smiling as she practically bounced up the stairs.

" _You_ ," Shima said to Tedachi as he tried to follow his cousin, saying not another word as she stalked over and promptly smacked him across the face.

" _Hey_! What was that…?"

"If you have to ask, never mind," She declared as she moved past him and headed back up the stairs.

' _What the hell was that about?!'_ He thought as he also moved upward and into his room. _'I know she's weird…But that really doesn't give her the right to go around smacking people without a reason…Or, in this case, without telling them the reason…'_ He sighed as he pushed open the door to the room, raising an eyebrow when he noted that, while it was late, Akito was nowhere to be seen. However, after another brief glance he finally took notice of the open door on the other side of the room and shook his head. _'She can't be that careless…'_ He mused, a soft smile on his face when he stepped outside and found Akito sound asleep in the deck chair on the balcony, a half-empty wine glass on the table next to her. He shook his head at the scene and headed back inside, quickly grabbing her blanket off the bed to cover her.

' _I'll just leave her here. It's a nice night, and she looks…'_ He thought, pausing to move a strand of hair out of her face. _'…Beautiful.'_ He then stood for a minute, simply admiring her before leaving her with a light kiss on the head, frowning when he stepped back inside and his mobile went off. Flipping it open, he found a text from Hazuki that practically demanded his presence on the beach that he shook his head at.

* * *

' _Sun…Go away…'_ Akito thought the following morning as the rising sun shined…directly on her. _'Wait…Where the hell am I?!'_ At that, she quickly sat up and looked around, sighing in relief when she realised she was only out on the balcony. _'That's right…I came out here for a drink and…I guess I fell asleep. I wonder why no one moved me…My blanket is here, so someone must have found me at some point…Oh, whatever.'_ She shrugged as she got up, gathered up the blanket and headed inside.

"Tedachi? Are you…" She started, trailing off and scowling when she found him asleep in bed, with _her_ next to him. _'Never mind…I need a shower.'_ She thought, heading off to the bathroom and then making her way downstairs, where Tohru and Kyo were eagerly cooking breakfast while the trio watched an anime in the living room, having been given the distraction by Shigure, who was brushing out his sister's hair.

"Good morning," Shima greeted. " _Ow_! Nii-San!"

"Sorry. This is a particularly large one…" Shigure muttered of the knot he was running his fingers through.

"Ki-Chan!" Nori declared as she turned her attention to the new arrival.

"Morning…" Akito told them all, moving to settle on one of the sofas.

"Breakfast should be ready soon!" Tohru said cheerfully as she poked her head in. "Oh, good morning, Akito. Where's Tedachi?"  
"Still sleeping. I guess he was out late."

"They didn't get home until almost midnight," Shima informed her. "I was in the middle of getting ready for bed when they got back…Then they went for a walk on the beach."

' _Of course they did! I could kill her! Why is she getting_ _ **my**_ _perfect vacation?!'_ Akito thought as she shifted, sitting so she could pull her knees to her chest just as a high-pitched voice called,

"Good morning!"

"Zuki!" Seiya said as she looked over her shoulder at Hazuki.

"Hi little ones!" Hazuki said cheerfully before turning to Shima and Shigure. "Your brother does your hair? That's adorable! I wish I had one to do mine!"

"Why don't you go find one then? Because you're _not_ stealing mine!" Shima snapped.

"And I only do Shima's hair anyway," Shigure shrugged.

"Good to know...I guess…" Hazuki muttered.

"What's all the noise?" Yuki asked as he made his way down the stairs, Machi following close behind.

"Oh! I'm sorry! Was I being too loud?" Hazuki asked innocently.

"A little bit," Tedachi replied, entering the room shortly after Yuki and Machi. "How are you so loud this early anyway?"

"Early? It's nine already!" Kyo snapped from the kitchen.

"Not all of us like to get up before dark, you know!" Shima shouted back.

"I'm only up because the sun was in my face," Akito admitted.

"That's right…You fell asleep on the balcony last night," Tedachi said.

"I _know_ that! And instead of moving me, you gave my spot to that _thing_!" She snapped as she quickly got up and stomped out of the room.

"No I didn't!" He called after her. "I didn't even realise she was sleeping with me until I woke up!"

"Do I look like I care?"

"Wait, where are you going?" He asked as she made her way to the door and hastily grabbed her sandals.

"I'm going for a walk. _Alone_."

' _Geez…What's her deal?'_ He thought with a confused expression, looking down when Hazuki grabbed his arm.

"Don't worry about her!" She declared. "I have an idea! Why don't we take our breakfast outside? We can have a makeshift picnic!"

"I'm really not…"

"Let's go!" Hazuki tightened her grip and dragged him off before he could protest, then and later, when she goaded him into taking her shopping until it started to rain, forcing them to return to the villa, walking in to catch Tohru and Yuki trying to choose a film for everyone to watch.

"The kids are napping, so we can go with something a little more grownup this time," Yuki mused as he contemplated his choices.

"But nothing too bloody…Or horrific," Tohru said.

"Of course not. Something lighthearted to put us all in a good mood. How about a comedy?"

"That sounds perfect!" Tohru smiled as she turned to another pile of films and picked one out. "How about this?" She asked and Yuki nodded as he carefully took it from her before they both ran off to the den, where everyone waited.

"I really wish you had longer hair…" Shima said, turning to Akito as she styled Machi's hair. "I want to be able to style it. Have you ever thought about…?"

"No. I like it this way, it's easier to manage. Plus, if it grows out, I start to look like _that woman_ ," Akito replied.

"Oh, Akito…You're so dull," Shima sighed as she secured a flower in the crown around Machi's head.

"It's okay, Shima. You can do mine!" Hazuki offered.

"No way in hell."

"Oh, come on! You'd be good at it."

"You don't want me near your hair. Trust me," Shima said, thinking, _'Because I'd cut it all off just to piss you off. Plus, it would spare us from having to watch you obnoxiously flip it in our faces.'_

"Oh…That's fine. I can get Tedachi do it later, then," Hazuki decided, shooting him a knowing look.

"Yeah, sure," Tedachi shrugged as he took a seat on one of the sofas next to Akito, who ignored the sideways glance he sent her way. In fact, she spent a good deal of the movie ignoring him, until she got fed up with sitting alone and moved closer, looking up at him with an expectant stare.

"What?" He hissed, not wanting to disturb anyone, staring back at her until he finally processed the look on her face. "You don't have to ask to sit with me, you know," He said as he shifted.

"Me first!" Hazuki suddenly declared as she bounced over from the other sofa and jumped into his lap.

" _Hazuki_ ," Tedachi snapped. "You need to…"

"Forget it," Akito hissed as she stood. "I'm going upstairs."

"Wait!" He called, quickly ushering his cousin off of him so he could follow her, grabbing her wrist right before she hit the stairwell. "What is the matter with you?!"

At that, she lost it. "What's the matter with _me_?!" She snapped, whipping around to face him, angry tears brimming in her eyes. "What's the matter with _YOU_?! Ever since she showed up you've been acting like I don't exist!"

"That's not…"

"Don't you _dare_ try that on me! From the first day you've been letting her drag you around and get in my way! You won't touch me, you barely look at me, you won't even kiss me! And, why?! Because you're trying to placate her and make sure she doesn't go off in front of everyone else because _you_ don't feel like dealing with the consequences! You say that you want her to learn how to deal with people…but all you've been doing is helping her hide herself! She's never going to learn how to deal with people reacting to her _true_ emotions if you keep shielding her!"

"But…I…"

"Don't. Just _don't_ ," Akito snapped as she turned towards the adjacent room, pausing as she took the first step. "You want to know what hurts the worst? The fact that, even though you make it a point to say it at least once a day…in the three days we've been here…You haven't _once_ told me you love me."

At that, he went silent, watching as she grabbed her shoes and Shima's umbrella before heading outside.

"Wait…Where are you…" He started, stopping at the feeling of a hand on his shoulder.

" _Don't_ ," Shima warned. "Wait until she's calmed down."

"Wait, you're her best friend…Aren't you supposed to be on _her_ side? Why are you helping _me_?"

"Don't get me wrong. I _am_ on her side. And my stopping you is actually for _her_ benefit. Seeing you after that will just stress her out more. She needs time to cool down for her own sake. So, you need to leave her alone," She explained before turning to head back into the other room.

"So, what was all that about?" Hazuki asked as Shima returned to her spot and Tedachi reentered the room.

"It's nothing," He replied.

"But…"

"I'm not in the mood, Hazuki. Do _NOT_ push me," He snapped and she backed off for most of the day, occasionally trying to gently convince him to help her with things, which he did rather reluctantly while Akito made it a point to avoid him, spending her time with the women, and even accompanying Tohru when she went out to finish up some shopping.

"What did you do?" Tohru asked Tedachi as they chopped vegetables for dinner.

"What do you mean?" He asked.

"Akito's mad at you," She said with a frown.

"Oh, that. It's nothing, really. We'll work it out."

"Hm."

"Now it's my turn to ask you a question, how did you know? Did she say something to you?"

"She did, but I figured something was wrong before that. There's been a lot of tension in the house. Look, I don't know what you did or why…I just know that you need to fix it."

' _I will…Once I figure out how. Okay, that's a lie. I know how, it's just a matter of getting her to listen to me…'_ Tedachi thought, carrying that thought with him through most of the evening, having ignored both Hazuki's relentless attempts to draw a smile out of him, and Hatori's offer to head out with the guys on a pub crawl. Instead, he found himself by the window at ten o'clock that night, sighing at the rain as he finally gave in to his intuition, pulled out his mobile and dialed.

"Hello?" Miyuki asked when she answered.

"Hey, Sis. It's me."

"I know that. What do you want?"

"Is this a bad time? If it is, I can call back."

"No, it's fine. I just got home from work is all," Miyuki explained, as she pulled off her shoes. "What's up?"

"It's about Hazuki. Since everyone else was busy, I ended up bringing her on vacation with me, and well…" Tedachi said, trying to figure out how to explain the issue.

"Is she being annoying?"

"Not so much annoying, as clingy. She hasn't left me alone since we arrived and…Akito's mad. Really mad."

"Wait a minute, you took Hazuki on vacation with you and your _girlfriend_?"

"It's not just me and her, a good handful of the family is here too."

"Oh."

"Anyway, Akito screamed at me earlier…She said I wasn't doing anything but placating Hazuki and…"

"Well, you _are_ ," Miyuki interrupted. "You have been since we were kids. I know that you don't have a problem with her real personality, but you know that other people do, and…Even though you say you want her to learn how to show it, I think that, deep down, you also want to protect her. She's like a little sister to you and you don't want her to get hurt. It's understandable. I feel the same way about you. But, on the other hand, you also have to realise that you can't protect her from everything. And that, sometimes, people have to get hurt to learn. Then, there's the other part of you that really just doesn't want to deal with her outbursts sometimes and that's okay too. None of us really like dealing with them."

"I guess you're right…I think I just fell into a rut, you know? I got so used to playing along that…I forgot how to tell her to back off. Especially when it comes to Akito."

"You mentioned she was mad at you…What did you do?"

"I guess I've been ignoring her. Hazuki's been dragging me around so much that…"

"God, you're an _idiot_!" Miyuki snapped. "I can't believe you even thought for a moment of putting _her_ before your girlfriend! Especially when she was kind enough to invite you on a paid vacation! No wonder she's mad at you! You need to apologise. Like, _now_. Explain to her what the deal is and apologise. And don't call back until you do!" She declared as she hung up.

' _She's right. More than right actually…Is that a thing? Dammit! Look at me! I'm so wrapped up in this I can't think straight…Except about one thing. Akito. I need to talk to her,'_ Tedachi thought, flipping his phone closed as he made his way up the stairs to his room, only to find that she had gone to bed early.

' _She looks pained…even in sleep…'_ He thought as he gently moved a strand of hair out of her face, frowning when he felt the faintest hint of a tear stain. _'And she's been crying. Dammit…What did I do?'_ He sighed as he moved across the room to change before climbing into bed and forcing himself into a sleep that only lasted a few hours. Around two in the morning, he found himself fully awake and thoroughly aggravated as Miyuki and Akito's words came back to him. With a sigh, he sat up, raising an eyebrow when he finally noticed the empty spot next to him.

"What the…? Where did she wander off to?" Tedachi asked himself aloud as he got up, and decided to head downstairs, his question being answered when he found her on the sofa, absentmindedly flipping channels on the TV.

' _I guess it's understandable that there's nothing on…It is really late. But still…You think something would be able to catch my attention for more than two seconds…'_ Akito thought as she pressed yet another button, looking up when she felt a presence over her.

"Akito?" Tedachi asked.

"What do _you_ want?" She asked with a scowl as he took a seat on the opposite side of the sofa.

"We need to talk."

"No, we don't. I have nothing to say to you."

"Okay then. Let me rephrase, _I_ have to talk," He said, gently placing his hand over the one that held the remote. "And you're going to listen," He insisted as he removed the device from her grasp and turned off the television, taking in a breath as he set it down. "I'm sorry. For everything. I would say that I shouldn't have brought Hazuki in the first place…But we didn't really have a choice in that matter."

"That doesn't mean…" Akito cut it.

"…I can turn all my attention on her," He continued. "I know. And I'm sorry that I did. It's just…She's been in love with me since we were kids, and I guess that, because it's been so long…I fell into a rut. She never listened when I told her to back off, so I just got used to her affections. I was forced to, actually. Whenever I rebuffed her, she threw a fit and it got to a point where I just got sick of dealing with her outburst so…I let her drag me around to places and goad me into doing things for her just to keep her quiet. To hide that petty, angry side that she's always held deep inside. I know I say that I want other people to actually see that side and get to know her for who she really is but…I've never helped her with that. Standing back and observing is just making it worse. All I've been doing since we were children is protecting her. I guess that, deep down inside, I just didn't want her to end up hurt. I mean, I've never had a problem with her personality…But I know that other people do, and that upset me as a kid. I was her only real friend…Anyway, I'm not telling you all this to try and get out of what I did, I just thought it might help if you knew what was going on."

"It makes sense," Akito shrugged. "But, it's not good for either of you. I spent a lot of time…Being just like her. People did what I said just so they wouldn't have to deal with me…And looking back on it. It was horrible. A lot happened, and through it, I started to realise that holding onto people like that only hurts you in the end. But, sometimes you…"

"….Need to get hurt to learn?"  
"Right."

"Well, despite that, it doesn't justify how I treated you. I should have set more limits with her. After you screamed at me, all I could think about was how you must have felt. I asked myself, how I would feel if someone I loved basically pretended I didn't exist and blew me off for someone else, even a family member. I can't imagine how you must have felt the other night when I rejected you to go out with her…I realised too late that, you weren't really okay with it at all. You were just saying that to not start a fight. And that's not fair. You shouldn't ever have to feel like you need to hide your feelings from me. Anyway…In all of this, I just wanted to say that I'm sorry. There's no excuse for the way I treated you. I was being a jerk and you don't deserve that. I know I can't take back what I did…But, I was hoping that, maybe…We could start over," He said, gently picking up her hand, and placing a light kiss on the back. "Let me give you the romantic holiday you deserve…Within reason of course. There are still other people here."

"I'll accept on one condition," Akito said.

"Anything."

"You need to set her straight as soon as possible. Because if she gets in the way again, there _will_ be blood."

"Duly noted," He replied, a brief silence falling until he said, "So…You mentioned being upset that I haven't kissed you…And I want to remedy that."

Akito didn't reply, instead she waited while he shifted and moved to hover over her on her side of the sofa, not waiting for any sort of cue as he pressed his lips to hers, internally smiling as she shifted under him, tangled a hand in his hair and forcefully deepened the kiss.

"One more thing," He said when they finally broke, leaning over to whisper in her ear, "I love you. And I'm sorry I forgot to tell you so."

She replied by pulling him up by his hair and kissing him passionately, moaning as he easily took control of that kiss and the next one, giving a moan of his own as she arched against him. While he distracted her with yet another kiss, his hand slipped down to pull at the tie on the blue satin robe she was wearing.

"We…Can't…" She gasped as she felt the fabric slip down her shoulders, soon losing her train of thought as his teeth grazed her neck, his hand playing with one of the straps on the slip she had been sleeping in.

"Why not?" Tedachi teased, capturing her lips again as he moved his hand to rest on one of her breasts.

"Not…Here…I mean…Someone might…" Akito gasped, biting her lip to hold in another moan when he found her pulse point.

"Good point…" He muttered as he worked up the strength to pull himself away from her, using all of his willpower to _not_ tell her to shut up and simply take her then and there. She was flushed, undoubtedly frustrated and nothing short of sexy in dark blue satin and lace. Instead, he simply swallowed his own desires for the moment and stood, not giving her a chance to sit up before sweeping her up into his arms. "Come on, Gorgeous. We've got _a lot_ of making up to do."

* * *

A few hours later, as the clock struck seven, Hazuki happily entered the kitchen with plans in mind and went about going through a list of various restaurants in her head as she contemplated breakfast choices, turning from her place at the fridge at the sound of footsteps.

"Tedachi!" She smiled. "I was just about to come get you! You did promise me breakfast, after all!"

"Yeah…About that…We're not going out to breakfast," He said as he leaned against one of the counters.

"Why not? You've never…Wait a minute…Are you feeling okay?" Hazuki asked as she stalked over. "You look…flushed. I hope you don't have…" She started as she moved to place a hand on his head, stopping when she caught a familiar scent, one that she had only smelled twice before, both times being when the women had bathed together. _'Pomegranate…There's only_ _ **one**_ _person in this house using that body wash…And it's not him…'_ She thought as she furrowed her brow. "You smell like _her_ ," She declared. " _And_ sex…"

"Hazuki…" He said, reaching for her as she looked up at him, pure anger in her eyes.

"That little _tramp_! I'll _kill_ her!" She practically shouted.

"No, you won't," Tedachi snapped, quickly capturing her hands in his. "In fact, you're going to leave her _alone_."

"But she…"

"…Is my _girlfriend_. She invited mehere so we could spend time together. And that's exactly what I plan on doing from this point forward. You are _not_ to get in the way anymore. When I have extra time, I'll let you know, but until then, back off."

"But…You already promised me that today…"  
"We're here for another week and a half, and then you have the whole summer with me. There will be plenty of time for us to go out. But, for now, I have to be careful with my money. Akito and I are going out tonight."

"We are?" Akito asked as she stepped into the room.

He nodded. "To make up for the other night, we're going out to a nice dinner. So, you better go dig that little black dress back out."

She simply shook her head at him. "I love you."

"And I hate you," Hazuki snapped as she stepped up and looked Akito straight in the face. "Do not think you've won though…I…" She trailed off as she let her eyes fall down and roam the other woman's body. _'There's no way…There's no_ _ **fucking**_ _way...'_ She thought as she pulled at the sash on her robe, watching as if fell open and slid down one of her shoulders, revealing the short slip underneath.

" _Hey_!" Akito snapped, noting how she was ignored as Hazuki gasped.

"Th…That…That's from Polaris' Black Label Collection! It was released last fall….I wanted one, but didn't get a chance to even look…But you…" She said, quickly shaking it off. "It's a crime you know, to see something so elegant and beautiful hanging off of a pathetic body like yours." At that, she turned her nose up and left.

' _I'm seriously going to slap her…'_ Akito thought, looking up when Tedachi spoke.

"She's right about one thing. It is a crime for you to be wearing that," He said, backing her up against the counter. "It covers you up too much."

Akito found herself at a loss for words as he kissed her, all of her going hot as she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling back at the sound of another voice.

"So, the lovers' spat is over," Shima declared as she sauntered in.

" _Shima_ , how long have you been standing there?!" Akito asked.

"Long enough. I couldn't find a decent time to come in is all."

' _No, you're just a pervert. You and your brother both,'_ Tedachi thought with a raised eyebrow as Akito pulled at his wrist and led him back towards the stairs. "Where are we going?" He teased.

"Can you do me a favour?" She asked.

"Um…Sure?"

"Stop talking," She ordered, letting out a startled, uncharacteristic squeal as he swept her up.

"But then I couldn't tell you how beautiful you are. Or how much I want you. Or…" He said, getting cut off as she kissed him and then smirked as she realised that at least for now, she had won.


	12. Obligatory Summer Vacation Chapter, Pt 2

_**Obligatory Summer Vacation Chapter**_

 _ **Part 2**_

* * *

 _Timeline: Mid-August, starts a few days after the last part ends_

"This is officially the craziest idea you have ever had," Akito declared breathlessly as she stared upwards, bringing an arm up to cover her eyes as the first rays of sunlight broke through.

"I didn't hear you complaining a few minutes ago. In fact, you were doing the exact _opposite_ ," Tedachi teased as his hand found hers.

"That doesn't mean this isn't ridiculous. How many people decide, because they can't sleep at five AM, 'let me drag my girlfriend out of bed so we can go fuck outside?'"

"But, you still followed me."

"Because it sounded like a good idea when I was half-asleep. But now that I'm awake, naked and sticky, I realise that the whole idea was just ridiculous and probably risky. The people in this house are up at all hours of the night! Especially the writers! What if someone had decided to come out because…"

"They didn't."

"They could have!"

"But they didn't," He said. "Besides, they would have heard you making sex noises before they even got close to finding us."

At that, she shot up and turned to glare at him. "I _do not_ make sex noises!" She snapped.

"Yes, you do. A lot of them. Like, porn worthy sex noises."

"I most certainly do _not_ …" She retorted, gasping when she suddenly found herself on the ground as he climbed on top of her.

Without saying a word, he slid down and found her breast with his mouth, smiling against her skin when she let out an expected moan. "Hear that? That definitely wasn't me."

" _Fine_. You win. Nice to know that if the Sohma family ever goes under, I can make a living doing porn moan-overs."

"Like I'd let you. The only person who should be allowed to hear such things coming from those lips is _me_ ," He said, leaning in to kiss her and frowning when she turned her head.

"No. We need to go back inside before everybody starts waking up. If Shima or, God forbid, _Shigure_ finds out, we'll never live it down."

"Good point," Tedachi shrugged and finally sat up, tossing over her nightshirt before finding his own pyjamas underneath the blanket he'd grabbed on the way out.

"Ugh, I feel gross," Akito said as she forced herself up.

"So do I…But, there is an upside to that," He said, handing over the rolled up blanket before moving to pick her up. "It means we have an excuse to shower together."

"Okay, now _that_ sounds like a good idea."

He could only laugh as he made his way inside. _'I almost can't believe she would complain after_ _ **that**_ _, but I guess I did wake her up. Oh, well. Point is, she's in a good mood now and I have absolutely no regrets, especially since we…'_ He thought, immediately losing that train of thought when he came face to face with Yuki, who rubbed his eyes as he fumbled down the stairs.

' _Shit! What the hell is he doing up this early anyway?!'_ Akito thought, eyes wide as she looked up at Tedachi and then turned to Yuki, who gave them a brief, blank glance before shuffling off into the kitchen.

"You don't think he's going to say anything, do you?" Tedachi asked.

"Probably not. He looked pretty out of it. Shigure once told me that Yuki is lucky he remembers his name in the morning."

"I guess that means we're safe, then," He decided, relieved to find out that it was true, as no one said anything out of the ordinary when they made their way downstairs an hour later.

"You two are up early," Shima commented as she held up two purple dresses for Seiya, who was pouting on the sofa, to choose from. "Or did you just stay up all night?"

"Not this time, I'm afraid," Akito replied. "We just couldn't sleep."

"Hmm…" Shima mused before turning back to Seiya. "Do you like this style or this one?"

"No," Was the toddler's reply.

"Well, you have to choose one!"

" _NO_."

"Where are the other two?" Akito asked as she settled down next to her friend, waiting and watching as Seiya climbed off the sofa and moved to sit in her lap.

"Still sleeping. She woke me up a half hour ago demanding food. I gave her some fruit to tide her over until breakfast. And now she refuses to get dressed."

"Is there a reason?"

Shima shrugged. "I think she's just being stubborn."

"Don't give her a choice then. Hold those up again," Akito ordered, taking a moment to look over the dresses before gesturing to the one in Shima's right hand. "That one. I like the butterflies."

' _You would,'_ Shima thought as she turned her attention to the toddler resting in her friend's lap. "Alright then. I guess you're wearing this one."

" _NO_ ," Seiya snapped as she clung to Akito's dress.

"Please, don't pull at that," Akito requested, gently prying the girl's fingers from her dark blue sash and receiving a nasty pout in response.

"Uh-oh, looks like someone's in a bad mood," Tedachi teased as he looked over Akito's shoulder, his eyes meeting with Seiya's as she glared at him. "But, I think I can fix that."

"You can try," Shima shrugged sitting back on her hands as Tedachi moved so that he was face-to-face with Seiya.

"Alright, so what's the problem here?" He asked.

"She won't get dressed," Akito explained.

"Hmm…That is a problem. You know what happens to little girls who won't change out of their pyjamas?"

Seiya shook her head.

"They get visited by pinch bugs!" He exclaimed, gently pinching her arm and getting a soft giggle that quickly turned into a series of laughs as he continued.

"Again!" Seiya demanded when he stopped.

"Only if you put on one of those pretty dresses. Can you do that for me?"

Seiya looked from him to Shima, who held out the chosen outfit, and nodded, taking the hand Shima offered as she helped the little girl up and led her out of the room.

"How did you do that?" Shima asked when she returned with a fully-dressed Seiya.

"When Hazuki was really little, she was stubborn like that. And since I was the one she clung to, I was charged with finding ways to fix it. It always worked for her," Tedachi explained with a shrug.

' _So the thing does have some uses…'_ Akito thought as Seiya returned to her side.

"Ki-Chan!" She declared, pointing to her dress. "Match."

"I guess we do match," Akito replied with a smile, noting the similar butterfly patterns on the two dresses. "Except yours is purple and mine is blue."

"Match," Seiya insisted before turning her attention to the sound of footsteps as Hazuki entered the room. "Zuki!"

"Good morning," Hazuki greeted. "And how are you this morning?" She asked as she threw her arms around Tedachi.

"I'm fine. I was just about to start breakfast."

"Ooh! Let me help!"

"If you insist."

Of course I do!" Hazuki smiled as she eagerly followed her cousin into the kitchen while Shima and Akito exchanged an annoyed look.

"She hasn't been bothering you, has she?" Shima asked.

"A little. But it's more of a mild annoyance. She seemed to have gotten the hint when Tedachi told her to back off. I don't care if she cooks with him or wants to go out with him on occasion, I care when she takes _all_ his time to the point where we can't be alone," Akito explained with a shrug, frowning when she felt a tugging at her back. " _Stop_ ," She warned as Seiya pulled at the lacing on her dress.

Seiya simply giggled and continued to pull, earning an exasperated sigh before Akito whipped around and grabbed her hands.

"I said, ' _stop,_ '" Akito warned, getting a whimper in response as Seiya struggled to pull her hand from the older woman's grasp. "When someone tells you to stop doing something, you need to stop. Do you understand?"

The toddler pouted and then let out a scream when she realised she wasn't going to win the fight.

"Answer me."

Seiya simply gave another whimper as Akito let go, running to Shima as soon as she was free and looking up at her with guilty eyes.

"Oh, no. Don't look at me. She told you to stop. When Ki-Chan tells you to stop, you have to listen," Shima explained, holding back a laugh as Seiya sat and pouted upon realising that she had lost. "Let me fix that," She offered to Akito, who said nothing as she stood and waited while her friend quickly retied the back of her dress, raising an eyebrow when she felt the other woman staring at her.

"What?"

"Well, this one's new," Shima declared of the prominent mark on the right side of her neck.

"Stop that," Akito snapped.

"Stop what?"

"Don't test me! It's too early for that!"

"I'll say," Kyo commented as he made his way down the stairs. "What are all of you doing up anyway?"

"Uh-oh! Looks like someone slept in!" Shima teased.

"Shut up. We're on vacation. I'm entitled to a morning off!" He retorted as Tohru moved past him, silently scolding herself for waking up late as she joined Tedachi and Hazuki in the kitchen while everyone else started to make their way around for one reason or another, which made for a rather noisy and eventful breakfast.

"Tedachi…" Hazuki asked halfway through the meal, setting a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You're going into town today, right?"

He nodded in response. "I have a few things I need to look for."

"Can I come?"

"Me too!" Himeko declared and Mayuko laughed as she took a napkin to her daughter's face.

"You are not going anywhere, Princess. Not today anyway," Hatori told her.

"And neither are you," Tedachi said to Hazuki. "Akito is going with me."

"Oh…" Hazuki frowned as she pushed a piece of food around on her plate.

"Oh, come _on_. There are plenty of things for you to do here."

"You can help me take care of these little idiots," Shima said, setting a gentle hand on Nori's head. "They can be a bit much for me to handle on my own."

"Zuki play?" Nori asked, her eyes bright and pleading.

"I guess," Hazuki shrugged. "But if we're going to play, we're doing it my way. I know, we can throw a princess picnic on the beach! Little girls love princesses, right?"

Shigure shrugged, "Seiya will do almost anything as long as there's food involved. Just like someone else I know," He said, setting a hand on his sister's head.

" _Hey_! That's not true!" Shima protested.

"I don't think it matters what drives them," Machi commented. "It sounds like a fun idea regardless. I'll help."

"Really? That would be wonderful!" Hazuki gushed. "What about you, Tohru?"

"I can't. I have to do some…"

"Oh, go on and have fun," Kyo encouraged. "You're on vacation. Let the servants take care of the housework stuff. Go out and be a princess for the day."

"Oh, but I really…"

"Tohru," He sighed.

"Yes?" She asked as she looked up at him, her face flushing over when he grabbed and pulled her in for a long kiss.

"You're going," He replied when they broke apart, smiling when she simply nodded.

"Okay, that's not fair," Akito said. "You told us we couldn't kiss at the table."

"Because once you two start, you usually don't stop," Shima said.

"And since you stopped fighting you've been all over each other," Kyo added.

"I thought that's what couples were supposed to do on beach holidays," Tedachi shrugged. _'And besides, I might as well take the opportunity while I have it. We have to be so careful back at the main house…It gets frustrating really easily. I hate that I can't ever stay over, and that if I do, I have to be extra careful and wake up early. It can't be easy for her either…Having to lie about her whereabouts when we go on dates. But, I guess it's kind of fun sometimes. Sneaking off into darkened hallways, waiting until late at night to escape onto the deck or in the garden…That's kind of fun. Definitely helps me get through the work day,'_ He thought, giving a small laugh as he shook his head at his own thought process.

"What are you thinking about?" Akito asked, her voice breaking his train of thought as he turned to look at her and gently brushed a strand of hair out of her face.

"You," He admitted, smiling at the mild blush that appeared on her face before he leaned in to give her a light kiss.

"Ta'Chi love Ki-Chan?" Himeko asked, tilting her head at them.

"Yes. Very much. Why do you ask?" Tedachi asked in return.

"Because people who love each other kiss to say 'I love you,'" Mayuko answered for her. "At least, that's what we tell her."

"Mama, Papa, kiss!" Himeko giggled.

"I don't think we can refuse her," Hatori laughed and Mayuko moved to draw him in to her, being careful of their daughter, who was sitting in his lap.

"No fair!" Hazuki pouted. "I want a kiss too!"

"I'm sure Nii-San wouldn't mind! He loves high school girls!" Shima teased, laughing when her brother flicked a piece of food at her.

" _No_! You have to do it!" Hazuki declared as she pulled at Tedachi's arm. "I am your future wife after all!"

Tedachi looked from her to Akito, who only rolled her eyes at the situation as she turned back to her plate. He then sighed and moved to kiss Hazuki's forehead, earning a frown from the girl as things started to settle down for a bit before everyone began to get up one by one to go their separate ways. A few hours later, around eleven, things began to pick up again with the arrival of some unexpected guests that Tohru gasped at when one of the maids called her inside from the beach

"Hiro! Kisa! What are you two doing here?" She asked.

"We heard you were staying here for awhile and I thought…It would be fun to come visit," Kisa replied.

"We're only here for the weekend though," Hiro added. "We still have homework and things to do for school."

"That's _great_! At least you're here for a little while!" Tohru exclaimed as she grabbed Kisa's hands. "We're going to have the best time! There's lots of people here…Including the little ones!"

"Little ones?" Hiro raised an eyebrow.

"Yes. Himeko, Seiya and Nori are here with us. I'm sure they'll love to see you!"

"Does that mean…?" Kisa started.

"Hatori and Mayuko are here too. And so are Shigure and Shima, and…"

"Tohru? What's all the excitement about?" Hazuki interrupted as she stepped into the room. "Oh! I didn't know we were having guests!"

"Hazuki, this is Hiro and Kisa Sohma," Tohru explained.

"Well then, it's very nice to meet you! I'm Hazuki Kino!" Hazuki said with her signature smile.

"What's your deal?" Hiro asked bluntly.

"What?"

"Exactly what I said. And how old are you anyway? You look like you're supposed to be an adult but you're so… _bubbly_. It's kind of irritating. As if we didn't already have enough useless adults in this family."

' _And what's_ _ **your**_ _deal you fucking brat?!'_ Hazuki thought with a scowl. _'Where do you get off, anyway? Who the hell taught you to talk like that to people you just met…?! Especially people with as much charm and grace as me?!'_

"Hiro…" Kisa sighed before turning to Hazuki. "I'm sorry about him, the long ride…" She began to explain, pausing when another voice called out,

"We're back!"

"Tedachi!" Hazuki smiled as he entered the room. "Did you get what I asked for?"

Tedachi sighed as he set a shopping bag on her head. "I did. And I went to three different places before I found them in the right colour. You are _so_ picky, you know that?" He teased and she laughed as she took the bag and scurried off.

"You're one to talk," Akito scoffed. "Have you ever seen yourself work?"

"I'm only like that because _someone_ has impossibly high standards!"

' _Wait a minute…'_ Hiro thought as he said. "No one told me _she_ was here!"

"And no one told me the little brat would be joining us," Akito spat back.

"I'm not so little anymore! I'm taller than _you_! And speaking of you, what the hell are you _wearing_? That style doesn't suit you at all. Honestly, you should probably go back to wearing whatever it was you were wearing before. That dress just makes it obvious that you don't have any figure to speak of. It's like a poor attempt to prove you're a girl. What's next? Are you going to tell me you read fashion magazines and get manicures on a regular basis?" Hiro snapped.

"Why… _You_ …" Akito muttered, using every ounce of willpower she had to _not_ step over and slam him against a wall. Instead, her hands stayed at her sides, one of them twisted in the fabric of her skirt.

"Umm…Akito? Why don't you help me put this stuff away?" Tedachi suggested, setting a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"Oh…Um…Sure," She replied as he moved his hand to her back and pushed her towards the kitchen.

"Hiro, that was mean," Kisa scolded. "You probably hurt her."

"Why should I care about her feelings when she never cared about mine? Or yours?" Hiro replied.

"Because…It's been a long time. We've all grown up. Including Akito. She's different now. Aunt Shima says that…"

"Like I want to listen to the girl with a long-standing brother complex," He said, turning to Tohru. "By the way, who was that other guy? Does he work here or something?"

"Well…The thing about Tedachi is…" Tohru started, trying to figure out how to explain it as Shima's voice cut through her thoughts.

" _Tohru_! What's taking so long? The girls are getting impatient! And…Who invited you?" She said, tilting her head at Hiro and Kisa.

"No one," Kisa admitted. "I…I heard you were here and I wanted to see Sissy. I had a free weekend so I thought it would be fun to surprise her."

"And I wasn't about to let her go alone," Hiro added. "Not that it's any of your business. After all this is the _Sohma_ summer house and last time I checked, I am a Sohma. I can come and go here whenever I please. If there's anyone out of place here, it's _you_. We all know you only came because your brother did. By the way, how's that going? Your brother complex, I mean. Are you ever going to grow out of it or do you plan on tagging along with him until you're eighty?"

"Nice to see you too, Hiro," Shima said. "And how are you Kisa?"

"I'm doing alright. Thank you for asking," Kisa replied with a smile.

"Since you're here, would you like to join our princess picnic on the beach? The girls will be happy to have another guest."

"I'd love too! But, we should unpack and…"  
"Do it later," Shima insisted as she grabbed the girl's wrist. "We have three impatient princesses waiting!"

"Hey! Wait for me!" Tohru called as she followed them, leaving Hiro alone where he stood.

' _Well…This is already turning out to be a waste of time. All the stupid people are here. How long until the useless dog makes his appearance? Hmm…Maybe I should find another name for him. Might get confusing when…dammit, what's her name? Saki…Setsuna? Fuck…'_ Hiro thought with a sigh as he ran a hand through his hair. _'Oh well…I guess it doesn't matter. I'm thirsty…'_ He decided before heading off to the kitchen, stopping outside the cracked door at the sound of two voices.

"What's that kid's problem anyway?" Tedachi asked as he sieved through the bags and started sorting them by recipient.

"Hiro? Fuck if I know," Akito shrugged. "He's always had a mouth on him. He actually used to be worse."

"He's lucky I didn't knock him on his ass…Okay, what's so funny?" He said as she started to laugh.

"Right. Like you could really kick anybody's ass."

"Are you saying I'm weak?"

"No. Just gentle."

"Those lovely marks on your neck say otherwise," He teased.

"That's _different_!" Akito snapped, playing with one of her bangs as she spoke.

Tedachi gave her a soft smile and moved to grab the hand that was playing with her hair. "You're doing it again," He pointed out, not giving her a chance to even think of a response before he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her in for a particularly long kiss.

' _What the hell?!'_ Hiro thought, not sure whether to be shocked or disgusted…or both as he backed up into Yuki.

"Hiro?" Yuki asked. "When did you get here? Are you okay? You look like you just saw a ghost."

"I…They…He _kissed_ her! _Her_!" Hiro finally managed to spit out, earning a raised eyebrow from Yuki as he pushed open the door.

"There you are, Yuki. The stuff you asked for is over there," Tedachi said, motioning to the counter with his hand as he opened the refrigerator to put away the various fresh fruits they had picked up, gratefully accepting the bag Akito held out for him.

"Thank you," Yuki nodded politely and moved to grab his own bag.

"Are you really not going to say _anything_?!" Hiro asked.

"About what?"

"Those two!"

"What are you going on about?" Akito asked.

"Don't act like you don't know!" Hiro snapped. "He was…you were…How can you stand to even _think_ about kissing _her_?!" He asked Tedachi, who only shrugged.

"Easy," Tedachi said, moving to wrap his arms around Akito from behind. "She's really good at it," He teased, holding back a laugh at the look he got in response from her. "Oh, and I love her. I guess that's kind of important."

"You're crazy," Hiro declared as he turned and left the room.

* * *

' _I just don't get it…'_ Hiro thought with a sigh as he came down the stairs an hour or so later after unpacking. _'All she ever did for years was abuse us…Emotionally and physically. She pushed Rin out of a window for God's sake! I know it's been awhile…But still. I can't shake this uneasiness. How could everyone just forgive her so easily? And_ _ **him**_ _…Does he know about any of this? If he does…Then how does he deal with it? After everything she's done…With everything she is…How can he adore her_ _ **so**_ _much?'_ He sighed at the thought as he made his way into the lounge, noting the quiet, which indicated that most of the family was probably outside, minus Tedachi and Akito, both of whom he found on one of the sofas, sound asleep. Akito with her head lying comfortably on his chest and Tedachi with an arm wrapped around her almost protectively.

"Hiro! I was just coming to get you!" Tohru called as she approached. "Kisa wants you to join in…" She started, trailing off as she followed his gaze. "They're cute, aren't they?"

"That's _one_ word for it," Hiro scoffed in response. _'Not the word I would use though…Confusing? Yes. Disgusting? Possibly. But, cute? No. Never.'_ He thought as Tohru rushed off, soon coming back with Akito's blanket in her arms.

"You know…" She said, more to herself than anyone as she quickly threw the blanket over the sofa. "I really like Tedachi…And I'm glad he's here. He makes Aki-Chan so happy…And if anyone needs happiness…"

' _I'm not sure it's_ _ **her**_ _,'_ Hiro thought, drowning Tohru out, until she was taking his hand and leading him outside, where Kisa threw him a beach ball and invited him to play with her and Tohru against Kyo, Yuki and Machi, which he easily agreed to, the game ending in a tie before everyone decided that the heat was too much and made their way back inside, Hiro following Kisa into the lounge, as she wanted to watch an anime while the little girls napped. However, upon entering, they found that the room was already occupied, Shima holding the remote in hand as she flipped channels and then rolled her eyes at the other occupants in the room.

"Oh, God. You're not going to be one of _those_ couples are you?" She teased as Tedachi gratefully accepted the piece of fruit Akito wordlessly offered to feed him.

"I just fed him a grape," Akito retorted. "Want me to feed you one?"

Shima pretended to think for a moment and smiled, "Okay!" She agreed, moving to sit on the sofa and then waiting while Akito moved out of her boyfriend's lap, giggling when she accepted her own grape.

' _Are you serious?'_ Hiro thought with a sigh.

"Hiro?" Kisa asked, gently grabbing his hand. "Are you okay?"

"Hm…Yeah, I'm fine. What did you want to watch again?"

"This new anime I brought with me," Kisa explained before carefully approaching the sofa. "Aunt Shima?"

"Oh, hey there, Kisa."

"Hi…Um…I was wondering…Can Hiro and I watch TV?"

"Of course. I wasn't really watching it, anyway," Shima shrugged and then laughed as she took the strawberry Akito held out for her.

"You guys are weird…" Hiro commented as Kisa ran off to get her DVD.

Shima shrugged. "What's the fun of being besties if you can't be weird together?" She asked. "Don't act like you and Kisa don't go out and act like idiots sometimes!"

For once, Hiro couldn't think of a response and simply stood motionless until Shima stood and ruffled his hair, irritating him.

"Gotcha!" She laughed and he frowned then and later on at dinner despite the happy chatters around him, scowling when he ended up with a face full of rice after Nori chucked a small rice ball at him.

"Nori, _no_ ," Mayuko scolded, smacking her hand as Tohru fussed over Hiro with a napkin that he promptly snatched out of her hands.

"I can do it myself, Stupid Woman," He snapped.

"Oh. I'm sorry…I was just trying…to help…" Tohru said.

"You could be a little nicer, you know," Yuki pointed out. "Especially after you showed up unexpectedly."  
"He's right, technically we're not even obligated to feed you," Shigure teased as he carefully cleaned Seiya's sauce-covered hands, smiling at her frown.

"He's right, Tedachi and Tohru had to do extra work for _you_ ," Hazuki pointed out.

"I didn't tell them to do it, they just did it. It's not like I demanded that extra food be made. I'm pretty sure I…" Hiro started, stopping and glancing down when Kisa's hand settled on top of his.

"Hiro…Please…" Kisa said with wide eyes, earning a sigh in response as he shut up and settled back into his spot, looking up curiously when Tedachi smacked Hazuki's hand away from his plate.

"Oh come _on_!" She whined as she latched herself onto his arm. "Share!"

"It's not my fault you already ate yours," He replied.

"But you _know_ how much I love them! _Tedachi_!"

"I said, 'no.' And you sitting there is making it hard for me to eat."

"Ah! I'm sorry!" Hazuki said innocently as she pulled back strategically, knocking over one of Akito's dishes in the process. "Oops…I'm sorry. I'm such a clumsy airhead," She sighed.

Akito simply glared at her and moved to clean up the mess, grateful that it was only rice, as there was no way in hell she was going to deal with having her _favourite_ dress stained.

"Don't," Tedachi ordered, turning to Hazuki. "You knocked it over. You clean it up."

"I guess that's fair," Hazuki shrugged and inwardly sighed as she did what she was told, raising an eyebrow at the dark-blue polish on the other woman's nails. _'So, she went out and got her nails done…did she? And I bet she dragged him with her! No fair! He would never take me to get something like that done…He once told me he drew a line at salons. Oh well, I guess I'll have to bring it up later. I have to be good now. I can't make him mad again,'_ She thought, handing the bowl over to Tohru when she held her hand out for it.

' _What's going on here?'_ Hiro thought with a raised eyebrow, looking from Hazuki to Akito, and back again before turning his gaze to Tedachi. _'It's been pretty well established that he's with Akito…But if that's true…What the hell is her problem? She's all over him…When he lets her be, anyway…Heck, she's the one sitting next to him now. I just…ugh. Forget it. My brain hurts…'_ He shook his head at his thoughts and turned back to his meal, attempting to forget about these things that weren't his business for the time being and succeeding up until the following morning, when he decided that he didn't like not knowing and resolved to do something about it.

* * *

' _Dammit…Why the hell am I up so early?'_ Tedachi asked himself, running a hand through his hair as he glanced at the clock, which read seven-fifteen. _'Oh well…No use trying to force myself back to sleep. Besides, I can just take a nap later if I need to…Hm…Haven't thought about doing that in a long time…'_ He thought with a sigh as he forced himself to sit up, giving Akito a quick glance and gently brushing a piece of hair out of her face before he stood, stopping when, after making his way around the bed, a hand settled around his wrist.

"Where are you going?" Akito muttered as she sat up enough to look at him.

"I can't sleep, so I figured I'd just get up," He replied, smiling at her sleepy expression.

"You can't do this you know…It's…Not fair," She said, ending with a small yawn.

"What's not fair?"

"For you to leave me naked and wanting in this bed."

At that, he simply shook his head and moved to kneel by the bed. "Trust me when I say I'd never want to do that to you under the right circumstances. But, right now, you need to sleep. You've barely slept in two days," He said, running a gentle hand through her hair as she stopped fighting her body and finally drifted back to sleep.

' _Hopefully she'll stay asleep for awhile. She needs it…'_ He thought, throwing her another glance as he left the room awhile later, raising an eyebrow when he found Hiro on the other side of the door, leaning against the wall.

"Take me out to eat," He declared.

"I'm sorry…what?" Tedachi asked.

"I know you heard me. I have questions and the walls have ears, so, let's go out."

"Well…I guess it wouldn't be bad to get out. And you're not Hazuki…So I can't get yelled at…" Tedachi muttered to himself as he contemplated his options. "Alright, Kid. Let's go."

Hiro raised an eyebrow, half-surprised he had actually agreed.

Catching his look, Tedachi only shrugged. "I'm in a good mood," He said as he headed down the hall, Hiro diligently following him and staying quiet until they arrived and were seated at a small café in the nearby town.

"So…Tell me…What's your deal?" Hiro asked, smiling politely at the waitress who set a coffee cup in front of him.

"Well…Let's see…I'm a Sohma too, in case you haven't heard. But, I was born to the lower part of the family. My immediate family has always been middle class and pretty average, though we've always been aware of the scale of the family and the presence of the main estate. I'm the youngest of three and have and older brother and sister."

"Uh-Huh…" Hiro nodded. "And Akito?"

"What about Akito?"

"You're…Well…You're _with_ her. And I want to know why."

"Are you serious?"

"Akito has done some pretty awful things to a lot of people in this family, I hope you know that. And, she's not exactly the most pleasant person to be around most of the time. Her temper is…"  
"I'm going to stop you there. What you just said shows how much you know about her. I'm going to assume that some of these awful things you speak of were directed at you."

Hiro only nodded.

"And that's blinded your opinion of her. Look, I've heard about a lot of the stuff that happened but, I also know that it's been a couple years since then. I don't know how much time you spend with Akito…if any, but you've got it all wrong."

"Then _tell me_. What is it?! What makes anyone think she's worth the risk?"

"Things like this," Tedachi informed him, taking note of his curious expression as he sipped at his coffee. "Things like you and everyone else saying all these awful things about Akito. I hear a lot of rumours and word-of-mouth stories, but what I don't hear is anyone actually talking _to_ her and getting to know her beyond all the talk. I'll admit, I was skeptical when I came to work at her place, but…"

"Wait a minute…You _work_ for Akito?!" Hiro asked.

Tedachi nodded. "I started after New Years."

"What do you _do_ exactly? I've never seen any male servants in that house."

"I mainly fix things and do yard work. Sometimes I'll pick up a broom or a rag, but I'm more of the handyman type. Anyway, as I was saying, I was skeptical when I arrived on my first day. I'd heard _a lot_ about the mysterious head of the family and was told to be wary of him. Come to find out, _he_ was actually a _she_ …Though, that didn't take away my tension or curiosity. In my first day there, I spent a lot of time observing the nature of the house and soon found that Akito was no one to be feared. Not in the way everyone told me. Turns out, she was just, well…a woman. Sure, she can be demanding and she has a bit of a bite to her, but underneath that, she's not a bad person. And I found that out by talking to her. All of the other maids are cold and traditional, but, I just don't have it in me to be that way. So, when she had a free moment or we were in the same room, I'd just talk. She seemed a little confused at first, but easily came around and I learned a lot. Like, did you know that while she doesn't care for sweets, she loves strawberries? Or that her favourite colours are blue and purple? And she adores butterflies? It's really cute…" Tedachi explained, shaking his head when he realised he was slightly off track. "Over time, I realised that things started to change slightly. She was always more than happy to see me when I was working, and I noticed that…My name started to have a certain ring when she said it, and that when she smiled, genuinely smiled…her eyes had a pleasant sparkle to them. I found myself wanting to make her smile like that, wanting to make her laugh, and just…wanting _her_. Sure, I'd heard the rumours. But, I'd also heard her side of the story. The whole time all that stuff was happening…She was just lonely. Since then, she'd found friends, and changed for the better. She was able to tell her mother to "screw off" and be who she wanted to be…Be…the person I fell in love with. Akito is a lot of things. Stubborn, temperamental, easily agitated and sometimes just plain difficult. But, she's also loyal and loving. She has this soft side that not a lot of people get to see. The side of her that smiles when new flowers grow or when a butterfly lands in her garden, or even when she's sick and wants nothing more than to be held. At the same time, she's fierce, feisty, and can stand up for herself. Heck, she rescued _me_ from Ren when the woman cornered me in a hallway. I adore that…and everything else about her. Especially how, after everything that happened…She stayed strong. She was able to admit her faults and start over, which takes _a lot_ of strength. I guess in all of this…You could say, what makes it all worth it…What makes me want to take the risk, is _her_. The fact that she's here and growing strong by my side."

At that, they sat for a minute, waiting while the food was served as Hiro processed the information, turning Tedachi's words over in his head a few times before letting out a sigh.

"Look, I still think you're nuts, but…I guess, I can see where you're coming from. To be able to watch someone grow stronger…It's…Well…"

"…It's nice." Tedachi cut in.

"Yeah…Nice. That works," Hiro shrugged.

"So, now it's my turn to pry. Tell me about you and Kisa."

"Huh?"

"Hey, if you're allowed to ask about my relationship, I should be allowed to ask about yours."

Hiro sighed. "I guess that's fair. I've been in love with Kisa for a long time. We've been friends since we were really little. We played together all the time in primary school, but drifted off during middle school…She was picked on relentlessly, to the point where she lost her voice. Every time she spoke, she got laughed at, so she simply stopped speaking for a while. It was horrible…Especially because I couldn't do anything. I wanted to, trust me…I did…I just…I mean…" He paused and then shook off the thought. "But…That doesn't matter anymore. It's been a while since then and we've both grown up a lot. But, despite that, seeing her laughing and smiling…It always makes me happy. Even when it's over the littlest things."

"That's the best, isn't it? Seeing her eyes light up over things we might consider mundane."

"How did…?"

"It's the same with Akito. With knowing that she'd been lonely and sad for so long…It's always nice to see her smile. And I mean genuinely smile. Especially when it's over little things. Like…The first time I brought her flowers, her eyes lit up when she found one she'd never seen before. She then started to ask me all these questions about it that I just couldn't answer…It was funny, really. And just _adorable_."

"When I told her we could come here to see that Stupid Woman…Kisa was just so happy. Even though it didn't seem like much to me…It's all she talked about for a week. And, maybe it's selfish, but knowing that it was my plan…that I was the one who put that smile on her face…it made me beyond happy. Because…Well, I love Kisa a lot. And, I want to do everything in my power to make sure she's always smiling."

"You know, you're alright, Kid," Tedachi teased with a smile.

"And…I guess you're not so bad yourself," Hiro admitted.

* * *

Upon returning home from their impromptu breakfast, Tedachi and Hiro went their separate ways, and, for the remainder of his and Kisa's short stay, Hiro settled down a bit. There were no more curious stares or disgusted scowls and he even lightened up around Akito. That Sunday afternoon, everyone gathered to send them off despite the heavy rain that had been falling all day, many of them huddling under and sharing umbrellas.

"Is that everything?" Hiro asked the servant who was loading his and Kisa's belongings into the car.

"Yes," The maid replied. "I double-checked."

"Well then," He said, turning to the remainder of the house. "I guess this is goodbye."

"Sorry we couldn't stay longer," Kisa added, sending Tohru a sad look.

"It' okay. I'm grateful you came, even if it was only for a little while," Tohru said as everyone else said their farewells and the young couple turned towards the car, Kisa stopping and gasping after only a few steps.

"I forgot," She said, running back up to the group and stopping in front of Akito, pulling from her pocket a bright, blue and purple fabric flower with an attached, silver butterfly. "Here. This is to say 'thank you' for letting us stay. Hiro said you liked butterflies."

"Thank you, but how did…?" Akito said as she took the flower, shooting Tedachi a look when she remembered that he and Hiro had been out.

"It may have slipped out," Tedachi shrugged and smiled as Kisa ran off to join Hiro in the car and everyone else filed back inside.

"Ugh. Rain, rain, go away…Come back when I'm not on holiday," Shima said as she shook out her umbrella.

"It is kind of a bum deal," Mayuko commented.

"I know! We're losing what could have been a good beach day!" Hazuki sighed.

"It's okay! I'm sure we can all find something fun to do!" Tohru said. "Like…Hmm…I dunno. Maybe we could…"

"Didn't you buy baking supplies last time you went out?" Shima asked, to which Tohru nodded. "Problem solved then, we'll bake something."

"You have fun with that," Mayuko shrugged.

"You're not going to help?"

Mayuko shook her head. "No. I have to keep these three busy," She explained, waving her hands towards the three little girls.

"There should be some paint in one of the bags. If you don't mind a mess," Hatori suggested, giving his daughter, who was sitting comfortably in his arms, a kiss on the head when she looked up at him.

"That'll work," She replied taking Seiya and Nori by the hands as everyone went their separate ways, the afternoon turning out to be rather peaceful until the main phone rang, earning raised eyebrows all around as Hatori got up to answer it.

"Hi. Is this the Sohma summer house?" Kaoru asked over the line.

"It is," Hatori replied. "And who is this?"  
"Oh! My name is Kaoru, I work in the main house. Who's this?"

"Hatori."

"Right. I remember your voice now. You came to see Akito before she left…And I guess that means I can trust you…" Kaoru said, taking in a breath before relaying the reason for her call, unable to see Hatori's wide-eyed expression as she spoke.

"Right, I understand. Thank you," He said after she finished, sighing when he hung up and then heading into the next room, where Shigure and Mayuko supervised the girls' finger painting. "Shigure."

The other man looked up and Seiya pressed a purple hand to his face with a laugh, though, he didn't smile as he read the look on his longtime friend's face.

Hatori said nothing more and motioned him out of the room.

"What's going on?" Shigure asked as he closed the door.

"I just got a call from the main house. After some ridiculous spiel about needing to get away and the suffocating nature of her life…They decided to let her come here just to shut her up. She'll be staying in the other house, but…still…She arrives tomorrow," Hatori explained.

"Who?"

" _Ren_."

* * *

' _I wonder if keeping this from her is really for the best…'_ Shigure thought later that night, staring upwards from his place on the deck.

"So, you couldn't sleep either?" Hatori said as he came up behind the other man.

"I was just wondering if maybe…?"  
"…We made the wrong decision?"

"Akito is head of the family after all, she should know about this."

"Not now. It took a lot to even get her to come here, and, after everything that happened…"  
"You don't have it in you to tell her do you? To ruin her peaceful, romantic holiday?"

Hatori shook his head. "You know what even _mentioning_ that woman does to her."

"It'll have to be our little secret then. Besides, the other house is a pretty good distance away and there's a lot of forest in between. As long as they don't meet up, she'll never have to know," Shigure pointed out.

"I guess that will…"

"Unca 'Gure!" Seiya's voice cut through the conversation as Shima shuffled out onto the deck, the girl in her arms reaching out for her brother.

"I think she had a bad dream. She woke up looking for you," Shima yawned as her brother smiled and took Seiya into his own arms.

"It's okay, Seiya. I'm right here," Shigure assured her with a soft smile as she looked up at him, her eyes a mixture of worry and sleepiness. "Why don't we get you something to drink and then go back to bed? I'll even tell you a story if you like," He offered as he headed back inside, happy to have his mind temporarily occupied for awhile.

"What's going on?" Shima asked Hatori.

"What do you mean?"

"You and Nii-San have been acting weird since that phone call. What happened?"

"It's nothing you need to concern yourself with."

"But…"

"Shima. Drop it," Hatori ordered as he turned to head back inside as well, leaving her alone and quite confused.

* * *

"Are you okay?" Tohru asked Shima the next afternoon as the other woman absentmindedly doodled on a series of story notes.

"Oh, yeah. I'm okay…I'm just…In story mode," Shima lied.

"Would you like to come out with us? Kyo and I were going to take a walk along the beach."

"No, I'm okay. Thank you," Shima replied with a smile as Tohru practically skipped out of the room.

"No you're not. What's going on with you?" Akito asked as she stepped into the room, shoes in hand.

"I promise you, it's nothing. Just a little bit of writer's block."

"You're going to tell me sooner or later, you know."

' _I know…'_ Shima thought, holding back a sigh, knowing that, eventually, one way or another, it would come out. If there was one thing she and Akito were bad at, it was keeping secrets from each other. "Anyway, where are you going?" She asked in an attempt to change the subject.

"Tedachi, Hazuki and I are going for a walk to look at flowers," Akito replied.

"You're going out…with Hazuki?"

Akito shrugged. "I'm in a good mood and she promised to act like a decent person. She actually showed a real interest in the book I was flipping through."

"Good luck with her," Shima commented as her friend stood, rolling her eyes at the thought as she left the room, finding Tedachi and Hazuki waiting for her in the next one.

"There you are. We were about to give up waiting," Hazuki said with a smile as she hung off of Tedachi's arm.

"No. You were about to give up," He clarified as he pulled his arm from her grasp.

"I just wanted to go out with you alone, is that a crime?"

"It is when you agreed to go with the _two_ of us."

Hazuki simply sighed as she picked up her bag and headed out with her companions following close behind.

"Hazuki, slow down," Tedachi commanded as they walked along a path. "You don't know where you're going!"

"Oh, right. Sorry!" She said with a giggle that Akito scowled at.

"Hey," Tedachi scolded. "What have I told you about that face?" He teased as he rifled through his own bag, frowning when he realised that what he was looking for wasn't there. "Shit. I forgot the map…And your notebook. I think they're still on the bed."

"We can go back and get them if…"  
"No. I'll do it myself. You two go on, I'll catch up."

"But how will you…?"  
"I'll have a map, remember?"

' _Well…This kind of sucks,'_ Hazuki thought as she watched her cousin walk away. _'I only agreed to this so I could spend some time with him…And look at flowers. They're a fashion statement and I could really…where is she going?'_ She tilted her head as Akito moved ahead and followed, being careful to keep a decent distance from the other woman, stopping when she caught a flash of colour out of the corner of her eye and smiling at wildflowers at her feet. _'This colour is amazing! I've never seen wildflowers in such a bright shade! You know…This would make a nice background…'_ She thought, quickly digging for and whipping out her mobile, trying a few different shots before she was satisfied. _'And now that that's done…Hey! Where'd she go?! Dammit!'_ Hazuki scowled, knowing Tedachi wouldn't be amused if he found that they'd gotten separated. She then sighed to herself and headed off.

Meanwhile, after finding out Hazuki had gotten lost, Akito had just shrugged it off. The girl was slowing her down and would probably just have gotten in the way. After a short walk with a few stops to look at and collect various flowers, she paused as an unsettling feeling came over her, but quickly shook it off as she knelt to look at a butterfly perched on one of the wildflowers.

' _Look at these colours!'_ She thought as she reached a hand out, smiling when the insect flew up and then settled on said hand, making her giggle. "I guess you're friendly then. You're very pretty, you know that?"

"Correction. It _was_ pretty. Until _you_ found it."

At that, the butterfly flew off and Akito's head shot up as a shadow fell over her. She prayed that it was all in her head as she slowly turned to look up, gasping and scrambling up when she found none other than her _mother_ staring her down.

"Where the fuck did you come from?!" Akito snapped in a mixture of anger and confusion.

"Don't tell me they didn't tell you. I'm staying in the other villa for awhile. The main house was starting to become…stuffy. So I came here," Ren explained.

"That's a lie and you _know_ it! You only came here to piss me off!"

"Now, why would you think that? I didn't even know…"

" _NO_. Stop. Stop right there! There's _no way_ you didn't know I was here!" Akito retorted, while a short distance away, Hazuki leaned against a tree as she took in a breath, having run down a few different paths. She then smiled when she heard the familiar voice, grateful that she had finally found the other woman, her relief quickly fading as she approached and then ducked behind another set of trees.

' _What the hell? Who is that? And where did she come from? There's no one else out here…At least…I don't think…And…What's her deal with Akito? She looks…She's actually…Is that fear?'_ Hazuki thought, trying her best to stay hidden while keeping an eye on the scene.

"And where is that lovely boy toy of yours? One of the maids said he had gone to tend to family matters…But we both know that's a lie. It's all too convenient that he leaves for the same amount of time as you…And on the same day nonetheless…" Ren commented, her voice dripping with a superiority that made Akito's blood boil.

"What does Tedachi have to do with this?! Or _anything_?!" Akito asked.

"Oooh…Touchy subject is it? I'm just asking is all. I haven't seen him since that day…Why do you insist on hiding him?"

"There's a _reason_ you don't see him! You have no need to! He's _not_ one of your attendants! He works for _me_. And beyond that…Maybe he doesn't want to see you!"

"Or maybe _you_ don't want me to see him. Because you're afraid that he'll end up staying. I wouldn't blame him either. I'm know I'm much better company than _you_. I still don't know why he…or anybody puts up with you. What do you have to offer? What's your worth? You're nothing more than a pathetic child who pretends to be a woman."

"How many times do we have to go through this?! I have friends now! I have people that love me! Loyalty…love…that's…"

"…A list of things you don't have. They're things I have…or _had_ , especially with Akira. We were happy, you know? And so in love…Always together…always in love…and then _you_ came along and ruined everything! How do you stand to live with yourself?! How can you stand here and say _those things_ to me?! You make me laugh. Friends…loyalty…How can you think, even for a moment, that you deserve those things after all you did? Especially after you _ruined_ me… Your whole existence is laughable…" Ren snapped, a rather disturbed look in her eyes as she raised an arm to her daughter's shoulder and abruptly shoved her over, a satisfied smile gracing her lips as Akito lost her footing and fell over the edge of the hill they were standing on.

' _HOLY SHIT!'_ Hazuki thought with a gasp as Ren casually walked away. She gave her another quick glance and thought to say something, but ignored that instinct and instead waited until she was out of sight before rushing out from her spot and down the hill.

"Akito?" She asked as the other woman forced herself up and scowled up at her.

" _Great_. What do _you_ want?" Akito snapped, not at all in a mood to deal with her.

"I just wanted to know if you were okay…" Hazuki said, offering a hand. "It looks like you had a pretty nasty fall."

Akito's look turned from one of anger to confusion as she reluctantly took the girl's hand, sensing the pure sincerity in her voice. "I'll be fine," She said.

"You're bleeding…In a few places," Hazuki pointed out.

"Hm? Oh…I'm sure they're nothing major. Just a few scrapes," Akito shrugged and brushed off her skirt.

"So…What happened?" Hazuki asked cautiously.

"I…I fell," Akito lied. "I wasn't paying attention to where I was going is all."

Hazuki frowned at the poor lie, but ignored it for the moment, saying, "We should go back. You need to get cleaned up."

"We don't have to do that."

"Yes we do. You can't just walk around all dirty and scraped up like that, come on."

At that, Hazuki grabbed her hand and dragged her back to the path.

"Why are you doing this?" Akito asked, utterly confused as to why thisgirl who clearly didn't like her, was insisting on helping her.

"Because when people get hurt, you don't just walk away. Especially when you know you can help," Hazuki explained. "That's what my mum says."  
"Well…you…"

"There you two are!" Tedachi said, his voice cutting off Akito's. "I was…What happened?!"

"I fell," Akito lied and he shot Hazuki a look.

"Did you…?"  
"Absolutely _not_ ," Hazuki snapped. "I can't believe you'd think, even for a _second,_ that I would do something like that!"

"I was just…"

"Stop," Akito ordered. "She's telling the truth. She actually came to help."

"I was taking her back to the house," Hazuki informed him.

"Oh…I'm sorry then. And, you're right, we should go back and take care of this," He said, reaching for Akito's hand.

She sighed as she pulled her hand out of Hazuki's grasp and reached for Tedachi's instead, letting him take the lead as they headed back to the house and he called for Hatori, who raised an eyebrow at the sight when he arrived, his curious daughter by his side.

"Ki-Chan fall?" Himeko asked a bit later as she took a place on the sofa next to Akito while Hatori turned her arm over to look at the series of minor scratches.

Akito simply nodded, giving the girl a smile when she gently patted her skirt.

"Papa make better," She declared.

"All I can do is try," Hatori replied. "Now how did you do this again?"

"I fell over a hill. I was walking and I tripped," Akito lied with a shrug, cringing when the alcohol hit her skin.

"You're scraped up, but it's nothing major," He informed her a few minutes later after another once-over. "Your worst one is on your foot. I think you may have gotten caught in something when you tripped. So, keep an eye on that one. But, other than that it's mostly little scratches."

"Right. Thank you," She said, smiling towards Himeko when she picked up her hand and kissed it. "What are you doing?" She teased.

"Kiss make better," Himeko smiled proudly, laughing when her father set a hand on her head and ruffled her hair.

"You're a good helper," Hatori praised.

"Hime help Ki-Chan!"

"Yes, you did. But, now that we're done with that…We should get you back to your friends. They probably miss you."

"I'll take her," Akito offered. "Where are they?"

"Shima and Yuki took them out on the deck for some sort of project. They're pretty disappointed that they still can't go to the beach."

Akito nodded as she stood, motioning Himeko with her hand. "Alright, come on you."

Himeko smiled as she got up to follow, soon settling down with her friends while they coloured a rather large piece of poster board.

"And where have you been?" Yuki teased as Himeko picked up a crayon.

"Hime help Ki-Chan," She explained with a proud smile as Akito sat next to Shima.

"What happened, anyway? I heard Tedachi asking for Hatori and…" Shima started.

"I just _tripped_. It's nothing major," Akito informed her, the annoyance clear in her voice. She was so sick of answering that question.

"Alright. I won't ask anymore. You should probably change though. Your outfit is a mess."  
"I'm not worried about it. It's not like I'm going anywhere," Akito shrugged as she took the crayon Nori wordlessly offered her, while, inside, Hazuki leaned against the wall adjacent to the door.

' _What the hell is going on? It must be bad if she's lying to everyone. Seriously, what is the deal with that woman? And why is Akito so scared of her? Okay, that's a dumb question. I guess I'd be scared of someone who would push me down a hill for no reason. I wonder if…maybe…Does Tedachi know? I guess I'll have to ask him later…'_ Hazuki thought as she resolved to do just that, however, she didn't get her chance until a few hours after supper, when she finally found him alone and flipping through a cookbook in the kitchen.

"Um…Hi," She said as she leaned against the doorpost.

"Hi?" Tedachi said, looking her over with a raised eyebrow. "Are you alright? You've been a little off since this afternoon."

"So has Akito," Hazuki pointed out, as even she noticed that the other woman had been more shut off.

"She gets like that sometimes. I think she might be mad at herself for what happened."

"Can I…ask you a question?"

"I guess," He shrugged.

"What do you know about a woman with long black hair? One with a slightly disturbed aura and dark eyes…She was wearing a long dress…And…"

"Ren?"

"Um…I guess?"

"She's Akito's mother."

"Wait… _WHAT_?!" Hazuki exclaimed, taking a step back in shock as she thought, _'There's no fucking way that's her MOM! I mean…I guess they do look alike…But…What kind of mother does that to their child?! She pushed her down a fucking hill for God's sake! AND smiled about it! In fact, she looked rather proud of herself!'_

Tedachi simply nodded. "You didn't hear this from me, but, she's not a very good one. She forced Akito to live as a boy up until a few years ago…Out of her own jealousy. She didn't want her to take her father's affection."  
"Who does that?!"

"Ren, apparently," Tedachi shrugged and then turned towards her. "Why all the questions about Akito anyway? You've never been interested in her before…In fact, you told her you hated her."

"Oh. Well…It's just that…Earlier…She didn't trip."

Tedachi raised an eyebrow, but said nothing, allowing her to continue.

"She was pushed…By that woman."

"Please tell me you're kidding…" He said, part of him hoping that she was lying. However, he knew better. As much as she didn't like Akito…Hazuki would never make up such a horrible lie. In fact, just the fact that she knew about Ren was enough to convince him she was telling the truth.

Hazuki shook her head in response. "Believe me when I say that I wish I was."

"But…How…? Ren is back at the main house!"

She shrugged. "Apparently not. I don't know where she came from. All I know is that Akito and I got separated and that when I found her, she wasn't alone."

' _But how? Who would…? There's no way the main house wouldn't_ _ **not**_ _call about something like this!'_ He thought, running a hand through his hair in confusion before heading out of the kitchen, and making his way upstairs. " _Shima_!" He called.

"What?" Shima asked with a sigh as she made her way out of her room, letting out a startled gasp as Tedachi grabbed her wrist and whipped her around and into the next room.

"Did you know Ren was here?"

"What?"

"You heard me."

"No. What are you talking about? Ren's _here_? At the summer house?"  
"Apparently. Hazuki just told me she saw her earlier in the woods with Akito."

"Does that mean…?"

Tedachi nodded. "She didn't trip. She was pushed."

"Oh…Wow…" Shima said, putting a hand to her head as she tried to process the information. "No wonder she's been off today."

"So, you definitely didn't know?"

"No. She never said anything. In fact, I don't even know if she knew…She was acting normal earlier today. You'd think if that woman was coming, she would have been more on edge and that someone would have…called…" She said, trailing off as she put the pieces together, soon pushing past Tedachi.

" _Shigure_!" She snapped as she crossed the hall to their room, where he sat on the floor flipping though a book, only looking up when his sister stopped directly in front of him.

"What did I do now?" He sighed, knowing she only called him by his given name when he was in trouble.

"Where's Hatori?"

"I think he…"

" _Go get him_. And meet me downstairs," Shima ordered, leaving soon after to take a place on one of the sofas downstairs with Tedachi and Hazuki on either side of her.

"What's this about?" Hatori asked as he entered the room and sat down on the opposite sofa.

"Why didn't you tell us Ren was coming here?" Shima asked bluntly, having decided that beating around the bush was unnecessary.

"I don't know…" Shigure started.

" _Yes_ you do, Nii-San! I thought you two were acting weird after that phone call yesterday and now I know why! Why didn't you tell anyone?! Namely, Akito?! She is the head of the family! She's supposed to know this stuff!"

"We didn't want to ruin her holiday," Hatori replied. "Especially since it's apparent that this is the first real chance she's had to be away with you," He said, motioning towards Tedachi. "We figured that, because Ren was staying in the other villa that we could hide it. I guess we didn't think about the possibility that she might seek Akito out."

"Well, your plan backfired. Not only does she know, but she got hurt because of your negligence," Shima scolded.

"Wait, what?" Shigure asked.

"Earlier when she said she tripped, she was lying," Hazuki spoke up. "That woman…Ren…She pushed her. I saw."

"So you know too…Who else knows?" Hatori asked.

"Just us and Akito. And it's probably best if we keep it that way. We don't need to scare everyone," Shima said, to which they nodded. "And…one more thing."

"What is it?" Hatori asked.

"Why didn't you tell me? Not only am I your sister, but I'm her _best friend_! I could have helped and you _know_ I can keep a secret."

"If it helps, we didn't tell _anyone_. And it's nothing against you or them…We just didn't want to throw a wrench in things," Shigure explained.

"I guess…That's not horrible," Shima admitted. "But, still…"

"Come here," Shigure ordered and she obeyed, making her way over to sit across his lap.

"I just…I _hate_ that she's here! I hate that she hurts Akito so much! I know I haven't been her friend for long but…"

"Speaking of Akito…I think I'm going to go find her," Tedachi thought aloud, throwing Hazuki a look when she stood to follow. " _Alone_."

"But I…"

"I know you're probably concerned too. But, you're also not a person she wants to see right now," He said as he headed up the stairs to his room, frowning when he initially found it empty and then letting out a surprisingly relieved sigh when he found Akito outside on the balcony, leaning over the railing.

"Akito?" He asked carefully.

"Tedachi?!" She said more to herself that him as she immediately straighten up, inwardly cursing as she struggled to quickly wipe away her silent tears, looking up when he came up and wrapped his arms around her from behind.

"It's okay…I know about Ren. I know she was here and…" He said, trailing off when she abruptly turned in his arms and buried her face into his chest with a soft sob.

"How…Did you…?" She managed to choke out as he ran a gentle hand over her back.

"Hazuki told me. She said that she saw you two together and that…you didn't fall."

"I was pushed," Akito admitted. "For no reason at that! Why?! Why does she have to do things like this?!" There is _no_ reason for why she's here other than to piss me off!"

"I know," Tedachi sighed as he carefully, gently pushed her away and then moved onto the deck chair, pulling her with him, a brief silence falling as she settled down, her head lying comfortably on his chest. "Why didn't you tell me that Ren pushed you?" He finally asked.

"Because…I didn't want to drag you into another one of my messes," Akito confessed, fresh tears brimming in her eyes.

"If I wasn't prepared to deal with things like this, I wouldn't be here with you."

"But it's still not fair. All I ever do is cause problems for you. I invite you to join me for a beach holiday…To break away from the stigma at home…And then the shit from that house just follows us here! It's _my_ fault she's here! If you'd come alone…She would have never said a word."

"Will you stop it? None of this is your fault. You didn't ask her to show up, nor did you ask her to get in our way."

"She's trying to take you away from me. You know that, right? She wants to hurt me by taking away…the person…I love most in this world."

"I figured that much out when she cornered and kissed me, which was gross, by the way. But, don't worry about that. I'm not going anywhere, especially not with her. I want to be here with you. _For_ you. So what if there's drama? What relationship doesn't have that? Sure, ours is a little more serious than most, but if I didn't want to deal with it, I wouldn't be here. I _love_ you, Akito. And…I want to stay with you and help you. Wait…that came out wrong…What I mean is, when things like this happen, I'll be here. You can cry to me whenever you want, for however long you want…Even if it means you have to call me at three AM because of a bad dream or something."

"I really don't deserve you…" Akito muttered with a soft shake of her head.

"Akito, I…"

"You say you want to be here," She interrupted. "That you want to help me when you can…So, Will you…Even if…It's just for a little bit… help me forget?" She said as she sat up and shifted so that she hovered above him, not waiting for an answer as she leaned in and pressed her lips to his.

Though he was shocked initially, Tedachi didn't find it hard to give into her silent demands as she pulled at his shirt and gently bit at his bottom lip until he relented and their tongues met, dancing around each other, softly, intimately. For once, they weren't fighting for dominance, as it wasn't what this was about. Not in the slightest.

"Are you…Sure?" He asked, even as he pulled at the sash on her satin robe. Though he had never felt a need to ask before, he thought it was almost required this time, given the circumstances. He only wanted to make sure she was okay with this, and that she wasn't doing something she'd regret out of emotional distress.

She gave a quick nod in response before leaning in to kiss him again, her hands playing with and pulling at the hem of his shirt as his carefully slid the satin off her shoulders. Catching onto what he was doing, Akito pulled back for a minute and quickly threw the garment aside, allowing him the room and time to discard his own shirt.

"Are we…really going to do this here?" He teased, his answer coming in the form of another long, hard kiss. _'Well…I guess that answers that…'_ He thought, letting out a muffled groan against her lips as she ran her hands along his chest.

"Now who's making sex noises?" She teased, getting a silent smirk in response as he grabbed her hands and pulled her in closer, taking his lips to her neck and worrying a spot he knew she favoured, effectively distracting her as he guided the straps of her black slip down her shoulders, relishing in the soft gasps coming from her lips as he made his way downward and then smiling against her skin when she moaned as he took his mouth to a breast.

"Still you," He teased in response to her question, holding back a laugh at her annoyed frown.

"You talk too much," Akito decided as she tangled a hand in his hair and pulled him back to her for a hard kiss. Though her kiss was forceful, her hands were gentle, and their subsequent movements were slow, intimate and the perfect remedy for completely wiping away their troubles, even if it was only temporary.

* * *

"Good morning, Beautiful," Tedachi declared the following morning as he carefully brushed a piece of hair out of Akito's face. "Feeling any better?"

"About…what?" Akito asked as she looked up at him with sleepy eyes.

"You know…Ren?"

"Oh, that," She sighed and then smiled. "You know what…I do. I think I got just what I needed."

"The sex or the sleep?" He teased.

"Both," She teased back, ending her statement with a light kiss.

"So, what are you going to do about it?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing?"

"Why should I care about her being here? She's staying in the other house and besides…I'm on holiday. The only thing I need to be worried about is how we're going to make the most of this last week."

"Well…I think I have a few ideas," He declared as he pushed her onto her back and then silenced her laugh with another kiss.

* * *

Most of the remaining days kept a certain light-airiness to them. One filled with clear sea water, girls' nights and even a few candlelight dinners despite the threat from the other villa. However, after the initial incident in the woods, they received hardly any trouble from Ren, mainly due to an intervention staged by Hatori, Shigure and Shima who managed to somehow convince her to make herself scarce for the remainder of the trip, which ended on a rather sunny, Saturday afternoon.

' _Back to work, I guess…'_ Akito thought with a sigh as she set another folded dress into her suitcase, secretly cursing herself for not packing a little at a time like Tedachi told her to. _'And back to pretending to_ _ **not**_ _be stupid in love with that idiot.'_ She laughed at her own thought and moved to pick up another folded garment, stopping as the feeling she was being watched came over her. Turning, she found Hazuki casually leaning against the doorpost.

"Um…Hey there," She said almost shyly.

"Hi?" Akito said with a raised eyebrow.

"I just…I wanted to say…" Hazuki stuttered, thinking, _'What do I want to say?! I mean I can't very well tell her that I…I actually…I like her. In fact, I respect her. Despite everything that I learned…Despite the fact that she had a shitty mother who forced her to be someone she's not…And that she still taunts her…and pushes her around even after she told her to screw off. I know it affects her…I could tell she was hurt that day. But, the whole time…She never really complained and she never cried, not in front of anybody, anyway. Instead…She smiled. She laughed…She played around with everyone. If that was me…I don't know if I could do it…I'd probably spend all my time wallowing in my own sadness. But, she doesn't…She…Well…She's able to love and be loved.'_

"Yes?" Akito asked as she shook out a shirt.

"I guess…I'm sorry. For a lot of things. I…I'm even sorry _for_ you. What happened with your mother…Even I know that wasn't right. On any level. And…"

"It's fine. You don't have to be sorry for me. In fact, that's the last thing I want. I spent a lot of time having people do that and…I'm sick of it. I don't want people thinking I'm fragile anymore. I want…" Akito said, trailing off when Hazuki approached and suddenly threw her arms around her.

"I…I don't know where that came from…" Hazuki declared when she pulled away. "I should probably…finish packing…" She stuttered before running off.

"What's her deal?" Tedachi asked, entering shortly after his cousin's exit.

Akito shrugged. "Even I'm not sure. She _hugged_ me…"

"That's weird."

"Tell me about it."

He laughed as he crossed the room, wrapped an arm around her waist. "So, are you ready to leave?"

"Of course not! These last two weeks have been… _amazing_. I really don't want to go back…"

"Maybe we don't have to…At least not yet, anyway."

"You can't…"

"I already did. I called the main house and said I was going to be delayed another day. Tomorrow morning, Hazuki will go back with the others. I already gave her the key to my flat for the night."

"Wait a minute…This means…"

"…After ten AM tomorrow, we'll have the place all to ourselves for a day."

"I _love_ you!" Akito exclaimed as she threw her arms around him.

"I love you too," Tedachi replied, setting a hand on her back.

"Now comes the hard part…" She said as she pulled back. "…Being patient," She finished leaning up to press her lips to his as a light breeze came in from outside, reminding them of their blissful setting and only making them all the more excited for the prospect of spending an entire day in it… _alone_.


	13. Girls' Night Out

_**Vacation Interlude: Girls' Night Out**_

 _ **A/N:**_ _This is a bit of weird chapter. It takes place near the end of the last one, after the Ren incident but before the end of the story. The event was briefly mentioned in a sentence, and from that I got the idea that Shima put together a girls' night for the older women, mainly to help Akito feel better and relieve some stress after the encounter with her mother. This is that story. I had a lot of fun with this one, so I do hope you all will enjoy reading it._

 _I'd also like to apologise in advance if Machi seems a little out-of-character here. I'm still studying her character and getting a grasp on how she was in canon along with taking into account that it's been a few years and that both she and Yuki are working together, growing up and changing as people and hope that some of it comes out here.  
_

* * *

 _Timeline: Mid-August. A few days before the previous chapter ends._

"I can't believe you don't own a little black dress!" Shima exclaimed as she threw yet another pastel coloured dress out of Tohru's closet and then frowned as she pulled out the a _third_ pink dress. "Even _Akito_ owns a little black dress!" She added.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Akito asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Nothing. Just that…Well…"

"You're pretty much the least womanly of all of us," Hazuki interjected, earning a nasty glare from Akito in response. "Oh, don't give me that. Just look at you! Lack of makeup, small breasts, boyish haircut, aversion to heels…"

"Hazuki, could you _not_?" Shima snapped. "There are several different types of women in the world. Besides, all that stuff doesn't matter in the slightest when that beauty is wasted on a horrible person, which it often is. Akito happens to be lucky enough to be pretty and a decent person and doesn't need to dress herself up to show it."

"Thank you," Akito said, sending Shima a grateful look and then cutting her eyes at Hazuki as if to say, ' _your move._ '

"Um…" Tohru started. "Are you okay, Hazuki? You just…You seem like you're in a bad mood."

"Hm? Oh!" Hazuki replied. "I didn't sleep well last night is all! I guess it's made me a little snippy. I'm sorry about that," She said, reaching for Akito's hand and then frowning when the other woman promptly pulled it out of her reach.

"That's nice to know, but it's not our problem," Shima cut in, throwing aside a white blouse. "The problem is that we're supposed to go out tomorrow night and _you_ ," She turned to Tohru, "Have _nothing_ to wear!"

"But…I brought plenty of clothes!" Tohru said. "And I do have a black dress…But it's back at home. You've seen it! The one I wore to…"

"No. You stop right there. Your mourning dress doesn't count. I'm talking about a _little_ black dress. Something you wear to go to a bar or out on a nice date."

Tohru simply titled her head in confusion and Shima sighed.

"I'll be right back," She declared as she left the room and headed to her own, taking some time to rifle through her own belongings before heading back into Tohru and Kyo's room with her own dress. " _This_ is what you need. Well, not this exact style, but…What I mean is that something like this…"

"…Has a lovely v-neck that works to make the dress sexy, but modest. I mean, we don't want her looking like a hooker, after all," Tedachi said as he leaned against the door post. "It leads into a satin sash that, when tied just so, makes the dress cling in all the right places. Plus, there's the added addition of that lovely broach where the neckline ends and the two sides meet. Considering Shima's height, I would say the skirt probably falls just so around her knees. Again playing with the modesty aspect and…" He stopped once he realised that the four women were staring at him with wide, curious eyes. " _What_?" He asked, soon putting his hand to his head when he realised what he'd said.

"Akito…Can I have your boyfriend?!" Shima asked.

" _What_?! No. Absolutely _not_ ," Akito snapped.

"But he knows _so_ much. He'd certainly be a better shopping partner than my brother."

"I'm sorry. I probably sound like a freak," He said with a sigh.

"It's not his fault though!" Hazuki said. "Miyuki is a cosplayer and Aunt Naoko works in the lingerie business. It's only natural he would…"

"…Pick up some of their talk."

"You've picked up a lot more than that. You once hemmed one of my dresses at a photoshoot…And you put those cute rhinestones on that boring jacket my dad picked out."

"On your first day, you helped Ayame almost completely redo the top of that dress I wore to Ritsu and Mitsuru's engagement party. Then, you replaced the ribbon strap on that show-bra after Ren ripped it when she tried to intimidate me," Akito added.

"What?! No fair! You can't go around helping to fix intimate things like that!" Hazuki said.

"All I did was replace a bra strap. It's not really a big deal. But finding _another_ ribbon _that_ shade of teal…that was a big deal. I went to four separate places."

"I hate to interrupt such an interesting revelation, but…what are we going to do about Tohru?" Shima asked.

"Y…You don't have to do anything! I'm fine! Really! I could just not go if it's that big of a deal," Tohru said, nervously playing with the fabric of her skirt.

"No! You _will be_ going. End of story. We just need to find you something to wear…You could borrow something of mine," Shima said.

"You're a size bigger than her," Akito pointed out.

"Okay then…How about one of yours?"

Akito shook her head. "Mine are all tailor-made, remember? They only fit me."

"Right…Hazuki? Do you have anything?"

Hazuki shook her head as well. "I didn't bring anything like that with me."

"Okay then…I guess there's only one solution to this problem…" Shima said with a sigh before straightening up into a dramatic pose. "… _Shopping_!" She then turned to Tedachi. "You want to come with?"

"I can't. I promised the guys I'd join in their card game. They're kind of on my ass for skipping out on the pub crawl last week. I was actually on my way to Yuki's room when I heard you," He said, turning to Hazuki. "I've been looking for you. Your mother rang me because you won't answer your phone. She wants to talk to you."

"I'll give her a ring later," Hazuki assured him. "Right now, we have more important matters to attend to!"

"Right. Come on, you!" Shima added, easily grabbing Tohru's wrist and quickly pulling her up before she could protest.

* * *

"How about…this? Or maybe this?" Shima muttered to herself as she compared dresses an hour later while she, Akito, Tohru, Machi and Hazuki stood in one of the local boutiques in the town.

"I like this one," Hazuki added as she held out another dress.

"That one is nice too…" Shima mused. "Aw, hell. We'll just try them all!"

Tohru simply stood, eyes widening when the two women shoved a series of garments at her and ushered her off to the changing room.

"Remember! We want to see every single one!" Shima called.

"Um…Okay!" Tohru called back as she carefully pulled on the first one, nervously fiddling with the strap of the short, spaghetti-strap piece she had tried on. The dress showed off too much for her taste and had too much in the way of bling, but she sighed and stepped out anyway.

"I don't like it," Akito declared. "It's just…Well…" She paused as she searched her mind for the right word.

"It's too shiny," Hazuki said. "All of these embellishments just don't work in your favour. Try the next one."

"Okay!" Tohru said, letting out a sigh of relief as soon as she closed the curtain. _'Thank goodness they all agreed…Why don't I try one I picked out next? This one looks good!'_ She thought, eagerly picking up and slipping on the next piece, a modest, navy v-neck with short sleeves. "How's this?" She asked as she came out.

" _Boring_ ," Hazuki sighed.

"For once, I have to agree with her," Shima added. "There's nothing really sexy about this. You can do better, much better. Let me help," She said, quickly pushing her back into the stall and helping her through another few choices while Hazuki scoured the racks and Akito took to hanging back with Machi, having decided that this venture was becoming too much for her.

"You guys are too picky. Why don't you back off and let her find something on her own?" Akito commented after the fifth dress.

"Because everything she picked was _boring_ ," Shima sighed. "And had sleeves."

"Right! She _needs_ our help," Hazuki added.

"Besides, if I was known for backing off, you wouldn't be wearing what you are right now," Shima said to Akito as she handed Tohru another dress.

"What?" Akito raised an eyebrow.

"I had to _push_ you so hard into dressing like a girl. Don't you remember how long it took before I got you comfortable with strapless dresses? Then it took twice as long to get you to start wearing nice underwear."

"Point taken," Akito sighed and then gave a sidelong glance to Machi, who had been rather quiet during the whole ordeal. She then raised a curious eyebrow as she caught the other girl staring intently at a display on the other side of the store. "What do you think, Machi?"

"Huh? About what?" Machi said, looking around nervously as Akito held back her laugh.

"Tohru's dress. What do you think of it?"

"Oh, well…Whatever suits her…I guess. I don't know anything about nightclubs, so…"

"But you must know something about fashion."

"Oh…Well…I know that…" Machi stuttered as she racked her brain for something – _anything –_ remotely related to the subject besides her clothing size, letting out a sigh of relief when Tohru threw open the curtain, effectively distracting everyone.

" _THIS_ one," Tohru declared of the one-strap, black dress that fell to her knees. A red rose sat directly in the middle of the strap and matched the sash and red strip that adorned the bottom of the skirt, which flared out just so.

"Are you sure? It's a little…" Hazuki started.

Tohru nodded. "It has to be this one. It fits just right, and it doesn't show off as much as the other one. Plus, the flower is kind of cute and…"

"Fine. We'll go with that one," Shima sighed, having liked a strapless piece with a rouched bodice better, herself. "It's your money," she shrugged.

Tohru simply smiled in response before changing her clothes and then paying for her new dress. She was still uncomfortable with the idea of wearing it out, especially to a _nightclub_ , but she figured that she would just make the best of it, especially since everyone else seemed so eager.

"Ready?" She asked everyone after she had taken her bag from the cashier.

Everyone else nodded and followed her out.

"So, where to next?" Hazuki asked, frowning when she felt a raindrop on her head. _'There's no way…'_ She thought, looking up as they became more frequent.

"It's a sudden shower. I guess we'll just have to run for it," Shima informed them, taking in a breath before taking off.

' _This is crazy! Does she really expect us to run all the way back in the rain? We're just going to end up soaked and…huh?'_ Machi thought as she trailed behind the group, losing her train of thought as she not only felt her own clothes sticking to her, but watched as everyone else's became weighed down too. _'Of course Tohru would go with pink…it fits her…And…Is that black lace? It looks like it…I could ask but…No! I can't ask_ _ **Hazuki**_ _a question like that! I like her but…she's kind of excitable when it comes to fashion…'_

" _Machi_! Hurry it up!" Shima called over her shoulder, thankfully oblivious to the blush that appeared on the Machi's cheeks as she hurried her steps and attempted to turn her attention _away_ from the other girls' visible bra straps, all while asking herself why she was so nervous in the first place. Girls were always looking at and studying other girls' clothes…right? And it wasn't as if she was looking at them in a perverted way. She simply wanted to observe, to _know_ about what was available. She'd thought long and hard about her own fashion sense and had resolved awhile ago to try and fix it to no avail. Then, as fate would have it, she was put into a house with five other woman, all of different styles and backgrounds. The only problem? She simply wasn't comfortable asking certain questions.

* * *

"Well, this sucks," Hazuki commented as she carefully gathered up and wrung out her hair once they reached the house.

"Oh, hush. A little water never hurt anyone," Shima shrugged as she unlocked and pushed open the door, not bothering with her shoes as she strode inside and immediately headed to her room, the other girls following in suit, minus Machi, who simply stood outside her bedroom door, having stopped in her reach for the door handle when she caught several male voices.

"Something wrong?" Akito asked, looking over her shoulder as she opened her own door.

"Yuki…He said that he and the guys were going to hang out in here and…" Machi started.

"Come on then," Akito ordered, motioning Machi into her own room.

Machi considered her options for a moment. She _could_ say 'no' and brave the guys as she sorted through her clothes…But she didn't know if she could deal with them watching her do so, especially if the wrong piece slipped out. Of course, Yuki could always tell them to leave…But she also didn't want to be responsible for ending their fun. So, she simply sighed and quickly followed the other woman, shutting the door as Akito headed into the attached bathroom, coming back with two towels and tossing one to her.

"Give me a second and I'll see if I can find you something to wear…I can't make any promises though," Akito said, crossing the room to look in the small closet, frowning when she found nothing suitable and then moving to the dresser, spending some time rummaging through the bottom two drawers before throwing a garment at the other girl, who only raised an eyebrow when she caught it.

"This…is a nightshirt…" Machi pointed out.

"It's better than nothing, right? Besides, it's the only thing I have that will fit you. Everything else is either too small or custom made. Your only option would be a satin robe…And I really don't want you wearing any of mine," Akito replied, throwing aside her once such robe as she spoke.

' _I guess…She's right…'_ Machi thought as she set aside the towel she had been using on her hair and quickly changed, admitting to herself that it _did_ feel better to be wearing dry clothes.

"When you get done…I need your help," Akito said as she stood.

"Um…Alright?"

"I'm not going to hurt you or anything. I just need you to undo the back of this dress."

"Oh. Sure," Machi said with a smile, quickly doing as she was asked and holding in a surprised gasp as Akito slipped the dress down and off, reaching for the robe shortly afterwards.

' _Is that…? I didn't think_ _ **she**_ _of all people would ever take to things like that…Especially considering what Shima said back at the boutique and yet…Maybe I could…I mean, it is just us here and if she had to work up to it too…'_ Machi thought, speaking before she could talk herself out of it. "Um…Is that…a show-bra?" She asked as Akito fiddled with her sash. "Can I see?"

"Um…I guess?" Akito replied, raising a curious eyebrow as she pulled at her robe again and slid it down her shoulders, praying that this wouldn't end up like her encounters with Miyuki. While she didn't particularly mind sharing, as she had gotten used to that with Shima, she didn't exactly appreciate being looked up and down and poked and prodded at.

"Oh, wow…" Machi muttered to herself, taking a hesitant step forward.

"I don't bite, you know," Akito said upon noticing her nervousness, thinking, _'Okay…That's a lie. I_ _ **do**_ _bite...Just not outside of bed.'_

"So…This wasn't part of your dress?" Machi asked, gently running a finger along one side of the purple ribbon strap tied around Akito's neck, which was meant to allusion of a halter when worn under a strapless garment.

"No. Could you really not tell?"

Machi shook her head.

"Hmm…I guess it does its job then. You see, while some show bras are meant to be explicitly seen, others aren't. In fact, this only classifies as such _because_ of this strap. There are others that have rhinestones on the straps, and some have things like ruffles on the cups for clothing with open chests. This one is actually modified. Shima and Tedachi's sister helped me put it together."

"Oh…" Machi turned her attention to the violet gems arranged into the shape of a butterfly that sat on the left side of the garment directly under the seam for the ribbon. "This beading is _really_ pretty…And I really like this lace here..."

"It…Uh…Matches the bottoms," Akito informed her as she played with a piece of her hair.

"Oh…Can…?"

"No. That's where I draw the line."

"Sorry. It's just that…Well…I…I just…" Machi muttered as she shuffled her feet.

"Machi?" Akito asked, prompting the other girl to look at her as she re-adjusted her robe. "Are you interested in underwear?"

"Oh…Well…Kind of. It's just that…I've been thinking about wearing cuter underwear and clothing for awhile. I just don't know where to start. I told Hazuki and she tried to help by showing me some of her stuff…But, she's kind of…"

"…Overwhelming?" Akito guessed and Machi nodded.

"Well, if it's fashion advice you want…You're talking to the wrong person. I only gained a fashion sense recently…You see…I…Well…I spent the first twenty of years of my life being forced to look and act like a man. As a result, I wore only either traditional robes or dark clothing."

"Why?"

"Because my mother is crazy. She thought a female head of the family would be bad for business."

"Oh, I'm…"

"Don't you _dare_ say you're sorry. It's fine. As you can see, I'm doing better now. I became friends with Shima and she helped a lot. If there's anyone you want advice from, it's her," Akito said, moving to sieve through the closet and pulling out a dress to replace the lavender one that ended up soaked.

"You have…another purple one?" Machi asked.

"Just the pattern at the bottom and the sash are purple. The dress is white," Akito pointed out. "And to answer your question, I have several. I just didn't bring them all. Shima and Ayame seem to think purple fits me. Right now, I'm just glad that having this means I don't have to change completely."

"Oh, well…" Machi started, pausing when a knock came at the door.

"Akito?" Tedachi asked from the other side.

"Hold on, she's…"

"He can come in," Akito shrugged.

"Are you…sure? You're _changing_."

Akito rolled her eyes at her naivety. "So? He's seen me _naked_ ," She said as she pulled on the dress, letting out a sigh at Machi's wide-eyed expression. "You'll understand once you've had sex."

Machi simply blinked in a mixture of shock and confusion before moving to unlock the door.

"Oh…Hi, Machi," Tedachi commented as he stepped into the room.

"Now that you're in, can you help me with this?" Akito asked as she looked at him from over her shoulder, arms crossed over her chest to hold the dress up.

"Sure."

' _I can't believe she lets him_ _ **help**_ _her get dressed…This is…Weird,'_ Machi thought, watching as Tedachi carefully and rather efficiently adjusted and laced up the back of his girlfriend's dress, leaving a kiss on her exposed shoulder once he was finished, to which she gave a small laugh.

"Um…Thanks for the help…I think I'll get going now," She said as she picked up her own damp clothes and the towel.

"Since when do you two hang out?" Tedachi asked once Machi had closed the door.

"Since she didn't want to disturb you guys. We got caught in the rain on our way back and she didn't want to get in your way by coming into the room to change."

"I wouldn't have minded. I was getting bored anyway. That's why I came to see you."

"That's a nice sentiment," Akito commented as she picked up her discarded dress. "But don't you think we've spent more than enough time together recently? There's a reason the girls are taking me out tomorrow."

"Are you saying you're sick of me?" He teased.

"Absolutely not. I was actually wondering if I was stifling you…"

"Of course not. I _like_ that I can actually hang out with you and not have to sneak around. This is going to sound weird, but it feels nice to be able to kiss you in the middle of the kitchen and to go out and sit and lay in the open sunlight without caring who sees. Not that I mind looking at you in the moonlight, of course."

"You sound like one of those idiot love interests in Shigure's novels," She teased with a laugh.

"Maybe so, but I'm _your_ idiot love interest," He said, smiling while he wrapped his arms around her from behind and watched as she easily settled into them. "Speaking of novels, I have an idea. We have yet to make good use of our bath…What do you say we use it to write a love scene after dinner?"

"Will there be wine?"

"There will be wine."

"In that case, I think we could write a bestseller," She said with a laugh that turned into an uncharacteristic squeal as he swept her up and spun her around, neither noticing when the door opened.

"Do you two ever stop?" Shima sighed, leaning against the doorpost. "I mean, seriously."

"Shut up. You're just jealous," Akito retorted.

"I wouldn't be if you were inclined to share. I asked if I could have him. You said 'no.'"

"Because he's _mine_. But…There is someone you can have for now. She needs your help actually."

"Who?"

"Machi."

* * *

Later that evening, Shima sat with Machi in her and Yuki's room, looking over a catalogue as the younger girl pawed through the garments she had set on the table.

"Here it is!" Shima muttered to herself. "I think these would fit you nicely. You're just the right size for a demi-cut."

"Demi?" Machi asked.

"It's like a half-cup. In fact, most demis cut only a few centimetres above the nipple line. They're often used on pushup bras and have this inward tilt to them that creates cleavage."

"Oh…"

"I haven't officially measured you yet, but you look like you're kind of…how do I put this…in-between. Your breasts aren't huge, but they're not tiny either, something like this…" Shima continued, gently picking up one of her own bras. "Would push them up and out just enough to be sexy, but not so much that you look like you're putting out. Unless…that's what you want."

"No! Of course not!" Machi exclaimed, a slight blush creeping up on her face.

"Just checking. Of course, if the thought makes you uncomfortable, we could always start with full-coverage styles. Those cover the majority of your breast."

"And what's this one?" Machi asked, running her hands over and admiring a light-blue one with a lace trim.

"Those are called petite cups. Bras like that are made for women with smaller frames and busts. In fact, that one actually came from Polaris' teen line. It belongs to Akito."

"It's really cute and not at all childish. Hazuki said stuff made for teens usually is."

"Not if you know what to look for. Polaris is great because their designers understand that teenage girls want to experiment with more mature designs sometimes. Sure, bright, poppy colours are great, and yes, many girls enjoy them, but they also like to try more mature things, like darker, sexier colours matched with lace and satin. And if you still can't find what you're looking for, you can get together with some friends and try coordinating underwear on your own."

"Akito mentioned that…She said that you…made the bra she was wearing today."

"We didn't make it, just modified it. Tedachi's mother works in a lingerie shop and they had given her some sample products for Miyuki to try, but…Someone misread and that one ended up being too small for her, but just right for Akito. Unfortunately, even she said it was plain and childish, so we resolved to fix it. Miyuki took us to her flat and we all spent some time going though ribbons and beads and lace and choosing just the right adornments. And the end result was…well, you saw."

"I was really pretty. And mature too. I…Um…I like the way the ribbon straps look."

"I can fix up some of yours if you want. And, I'm sure Hazuki wouldn't mind helping, either."

"I don't know if I want to ask her…It's not that I don't like her fashion sense it's just that…Last time I talked about this with her it was kind of…Overwhelming."

"I'm sure I could calm her down a little," Shima assured. _'She seems to behave when I'm around. Probably because she's figured out that I can see right through her shit.'_

"Or…You could not tell her at all."

"Alright, alright. I'll keep it between us. In fact, I have an idea. Why don't we go out shopping tomorrow? You, me and Akito. We don't have to buy anything, just window shop so you can get a feel for different styles and things."

"I guess that would be alright," Machi shrugged.

"Great. I'll go tell Akito. You stay here," Shima ordered as she stood and ran off, her smile quickly turning into a frown when she headed across the hall and found Akito's room empty. _'Now I know she came up here…She was in here when I was looking for things to show Machi…'_ Shima thought as she crossed the room and headed for the outside door, pausing when she heard a familiar laugh and then moving to carefully knock at the bathroom door. "Akito?" She asked.

' _Seriously? What the hell does_ _ **she**_ _want?!'_ Akito thought with a scowl as she forced herself to turn away from her boyfriend, a task that took every ounce of her slowly-melting willpower, as he was far too tempting under the soft candlelight. " _What_?!" She snapped in response, eagerly accepting the kiss that followed and suppressing a groan as his hand moved to rest on one of her breasts.

"You, me and Machi are going shopping tomorrow," Shima explained from the other side of the door. "She wants to look at some stuff."

"Fine. Whatever," Akito managed to gasp out as Tedachi took his lips to her neck.

"Great! I'll see you early tomorrow morning!"

' _Yeah, yeah…Just_ _ **go away**_ _,'_ She thought with a scowl, letting out a suppressed moan as soon as she was sure Shima was gone.

"Wait…What just happened?" Tedachi asked.

"Don't know. Don't care," Akito shrugged.

"But you…"

"Shut up. You promised me a love scene. _Not_ a monologue."

"Well, I guess…" He started, laughing when she blew a handful of bubbles in his direction and then moved to press herself up against him.

"I said _shut up_ ," She ordered, kissing him before he could say another word and wiping all other thoughts from her mind, to the point where she didn't find out exactly what she had agreed to until seven the following morning, when she awoke to Shima eagerly shaking her.

"Rise and shine!" She encouraged happily.

"Go _away_ ," Akito snapped.

"But you promised you'd come shopping this morning!"

"I did no such thing."

"Yes you did. Last night. I told you we were going out this morning and you said, 'fine.'"

' _I don't remember…wait a minute…'_ Akito thought, holding back a sigh as she realised that she had indeed been goaded into this. "Alright. I admit that I did agree to it, but I wasn't in a proper frame of mind."

"What do you mean you…" Shima paused for a minute, a knowing smile on her face. "You two were sexing in the bathtub, weren't you? That explains why you ran off so quickly after dinner."

"Tedachi, make her go away," Akito said, her voice bordering on a whine as she turned away from Shima and moved to snuggle up to him.

"Shima…You do realise that most stores in town aren't open until, ten right?" Tedachi informed her, smiling when Akito wrapped her arm around him.

"I know but…" She started, trailing off when she caught his look. "I'll come back in an hour," She decided with a defeated sigh before making her way out, only to come back and find that Akito was no less aggravated at being woken up an hour later, but that didn't deter her from practically dragging the other woman out of bed and into town, where they spent a good three hours or so in different shops, explaining different aspects of clothing and underwear to Machi, who actually listened well and surprised them by buying a few pieces before they found themselves in a fabric and design shop.

"Why…are we here?" Machi asked.

"We need beads and ribbons and other things if we're going to help you start coordinating your own stuff," Shima explained. "Why do you think I pushed you to buy those two plain bras? So we would have something to start with."

"Well, I don't know anything about…"  
"And that's why we're here! Now, I was thinking we should start by looking at ribbon. You did say you liked the ribbon strap look."

"I do, but…"

"How about this?" Akito interrupted, holding up a spool of dark blue ribbon. "One of the ones you bought was a light blue, right?"

"I guess…that's pretty," Machi muttered.

"We could also go with a teal colour…That mixes nicely with blue," Shima suggested as she joined Akito in pawing through a ribbon display.

"I…like that too," Machi said, feeling her nerves rising at her own indecisiveness.

"We'll need something to go with it though…" Shima contemplated, glancing over at a display of charms and broaches. "I know! How do you feel about hearts, Machi?"  
"They're cute…I guess…But I…Um…I think I like this bird charm better."

"That _is_ cute…Okay then, we'll go with that! Now, we just need to find a bead set that's heavy in blues and greens. This way!"

At that, Shima grabbed Machi's hand and quickly dragged her off and around the store, listening carefully to what she wanted as the girl began to open up a little more and show more confidence in her own decisions then and later that evening as she sat with Hazuki, who eagerly showed her how to add the embellishments and replace the straps.

"So, how's it going?" Shima asked, leaning in the doorway of Hazuki's room.

"It's going fine," Machi smiled. "We just finished with the straps. See?" She held up the garment for the older woman to see.

"It looks _great_. That dark blue is going to look nice on you."

"Where are you off to all dressed up, anyway?" Machi asked as she looked over Shima's black dress and heels.

"I thought I told you. The girls and I are going out tonight. There's this great club in town and I thought we should take advantage of it."

"I still can't believe that I don't get to come!" Hazuki sighed.

"Sorry. It's not my rule. The place is twenty and over," Shima shrugged as she turned and then headed back into Mayuko's room, where the older woman was assisting Tohru with her makeup.

"You look amazing!" Hazuki gushed as she entered, having followed Shima out of curiosity.

"Really?!" Tohru squeaked. "I was starting to think that it was too much. This isn't really me and…"

"Stay still and close your eyes," Mayuko ordered, as she picked up an eye shadow pallet.

"And look at _you_! I don't think anyone would suspect you're a mum! Especially not to a two-year-old!" Hazuki complimented Mayuko, who only nodded in acknowledgment of the compliment as she carefully selected and applied a smoky eye shadow to Tohru's eyes.

"You all look _great_ ," Machi complimented as she finally appeared,

"Except…That would look much better with heels," Hazuki said to Akito, watching as she slipped her feet into a pair of flats.

"I don't do heels," Akito informed her, pushing a piece of hair from her face.

"Are you serious?! You've never worn them?"

"No. She's worn them…And fallen down," Shima cut in as she took a seat on the bed next to her friend, whispering, "Which is why your only pair are _bedroom heels_ that I still can't believe you bought!"

" _Shima_!"

"What? I know Tedachi _loves_ them."

" _Shut up_!" Akito snapped as she shoved her over, getting a laugh in response.

"Alright. I get it," Shima laughed. "That colour on your nails turned out great, by the way."

"I was worried about it…I mean, last time I used pink, it didn't come out right…" Akito admitted, glancing down at the dark-magenta colour painted on her nails. While they were out helping Machi, she had picked it up with the hope that it would match the sash on her dress, and was beyond relieved when it actually did.

"I like that colour on you," Tohru complimented. "It…Um…"

"It works well with the black," Mayuko said as she finally closed up the pallet. "And it's just the right shade. No offense or anything, but I just don't think a soft pink would be very you."

"It's fine," Akito shrugged, having always thought the same thing herself. Pink had never really appealed to her as a colour, unless it was dark and used as an adornment.

"Alright then. Now that she's done, it's about time we got going," Mayuko declared, grabbing her handbag as she spoke.

"I'm still not sure about…" Tohru started, trailing off as Shima and Hazuki each grabbed an arm.

"You're going," They said in unison as they practically dragged her down the stairs.

"Well…What do we have here?" Shigure teased as soon as the women hit the ground floor.

"You all look great," Yuki complimented.

"I have to agree," Tedachi added, turning towards Akito. "Are you wearing makeup?"

"A little," She confessed with a shy smile as he stepped over.

"It's nice, but…you know I think you look better without it."

Shima gave them a smile and then turned to Yuki. "Where's Kyo? He _needs_ to see Tohru before we leave."

"He mentioned something about looking for fireflies with the girls," Yuki replied. "I'll get him."

"We really don't have to wait for him," Tohru said. "I think we should just go! I mean, it's nothing to fuss about and…"

"Of course it's something to fuss about," Shigure said, taking one of her hands. "You're quite beautiful when you're dressed up like this. Maybe I could steal you for myself."

"Oh, well…I…"

"Like _hell_ you will!" Kyo snapped, knocking the former dog in the back of the head. "And _you_ …" He turned to Tohru and then paused, his mind going completely blank as he looked her over, from the black headband on her head adorned with a red rose to the open-toed heels showing off her red-painted toenails. "…Look _amazing_."

Tohru simply looked at her feet as a heavy blush came over her face.

"Stop being so shy," Hazuki scolded. "You should be proud of how you look! Especially when you look _this_ good."

"I know I do," Mayuko added. "It's been too long since I've been out with just the girls. I'm ready to have some fun."

"Not too much fun, I hope," Hatori teased as he came up behind her and set a gentle hand on her exposed shoulder.

"Mama pretty!" Himeko declared from her place in her father's arms as her mother turned around.

"Thank you, Princess."

"She's right, you know," Shigure teased. "You're going to have to beat them off with a stick."

Mayuko simply shot him a look, secretly amused with the compliment. Unlike the other girls, she had actually opted out of wearing a dress, and instead chose to wear dark-navy jeans with a simple, black, off-the-shoulder top, pairing the simply ensemble with a black belt, a silver necklace and open-toed, heeled sandals.

"No offense to Mayu, but I think you should be more worried about Akito, here," Shima teased.

"She may be right. I've always thought that dress looked good on you," Shigure complimented, as he looked her over. The first time she had worn that specific dress had been at the first main house dinner following the breaking of the curse and her gender reveal, and he had been nothing short of surprised both when his sister told him that she had commissioned it from Ayame and when she actually showed up wearing it. The black spaghetti-strap piece fit her well and accentuated all the right assets. At her waist sat a dark-pink sash that wrapped around and matched the stripe at the bottom of the skirt that sat just above her knees.

"Actually, I wouldn't worry too much about this one," Tedachi teased.

"And why is that?" Shima asked.

"Because _you're_ the biggest flirt out of all of them."

"I am _not_."

"Actually…You kind of are. But, I'm convinced that it's not entirely your fault," Akito commented. "Seems to me like that shit's genetic. I mean, have you met your brother?"

"That doesn't mean _anything_ ," Shima said, feigning offense. "Have you met _Tedachi's_ brother? He's a huge flirt. Your boyfriend? Not so much."

"He just has his own way of doing things," Akito retorted, turning back to him and whispering, "And I happen to like how he does them."

Tedachi responded with a smirk and pulled her in for a long kiss that Shima groaned at.

"Now we're going to have to reapply your lipstick!" She scolded as she quickly grabbed her best friend's hand. "Let's go before you do any more damage."

"Just give me a minute to…" Hatori started, looking around for someone to pass Himeko to.

"Don't," Tedachi interrupted. "I'll take them. You stay here and put your daughter to bed."

"But we agreed that…"

"We'll just switch places. You can pick them up later," Tedachi shrugged as he moved to grab his shoes and a set of car keys, signaling the decision as final.

"I don't care who drives, let's just _go_ ," Mayuko insisted. "I didn't get all dressed up to linger on the damn stairwell."

"I did," Tohru squeaked nervously, earning an eye roll from Mayuko as the older woman gripped her wrist.

"Oh, no. You are _not_ backing out now!" She snapped as she practically dragged Tohru out to the car with the other girls, later having to do the same thing when they hit the town.

' _Maybe when we get a drink or two in her, she'll calm down…'_ Shima mused as they stepped out of the car before declaring with a skilled hair flip, "Alright girls! Let's go flaunt it!"

"Just don't bring anyone home with you," Tedachi teased, laughing at Shima's glare before driving off.

"How do you put up with him?" Shima asked Akito as they pushed past the queue.

"I'm stupid in love, remember?" Akito replied just before they hit the door, where Shima gave her name, having set it up days ago.

The bouncer checked his clipboard and gestured for them to hand over their IDs, raising an eyebrow at Akito and Tohru, but ultimately relenting when he and his manager double checked their cards.

"What was that about?" Tohru asked as they stepped inside.

"They're just covering their bases is all. You guys are rather young looking," Mayuko explained as she scoped the place out. As Shima had promised, the place had a certain elegance to it, but was a nightclub nonetheless. An array of booths and tables were carefully arranged on two floors to leave room for a central dance floor. On the far left side, a stainless steel bar with a selection that looked very promising.

"I love it when a plan comes together," Shima commented with a smile. "Now, let's go claim a table. Then we can start observing the species."

"Fuck that. I'm going for the drinks!" Mayuko declared, still holding onto Tohru's hand as they weaved through the crowd and scoped out a corner booth where they could squeeze in. "I'm going to the bar. What do you guys want?"

"Surprise me," Shima said.

"Something fruity," Akito decided.

"God, you are such a _girl_!" Shima teased with a laugh. "What about you, Tohru?"

"Oh. Well, I don't really drink so I don't know…"

Shima sighed. "Just get her whatever you get for Akito."

"Will do," Mayuko nodded and then headed off.

"While we're waiting…Let's dance. Come on Tohru!" Shima encouraged, holding a hand out once she and Akito were standing.

"I couldn't…I don't even know how to dance!" Tohru insisted.

"Oh, it's easy, and Shima's a pretty good teacher," Akito said, her arm firmly linked with the other woman's.

"Well…Maybe I could…try?"

"That's the spirit! Now come on!"

At that, Shima quickly grabbed Tohru's hand and pulled her up and out to the floor, holding back a laugh at her awkward stance and movements.

"You don't have to try so hard. Just move with the music…or watch us, whatever's easier," Shima said, taking the hand Akito offered, quickly twirling her with a laugh before offering a hand to Tohru and doing the same. "There you go! You're getting the hang of it!"

For the first time that night, Tohru genuinely smiled, her nerves slowly melting away as she took cues from her friends and started to slowly, but surely move in time with the music, picking up a few decent steps and stares along the way.

"Check out the one on the left," One of the men said to a group of his friends as they leaned against the wall.

"I don't know…She seems kind of awkward…" His friend commented.

"I'm okay with that. In fact, I'm sure that talking her into a date or two would be no trouble at all. Awkward girls tend to be a little desperate."

"Go for it then. And while you're at it, send the other one this way."

"Which one?"

"The one with the long hair. Not that the other girl isn't cute…she's just lacking certain assets."

"Come with me then."

" _Fine_ ," The second man sighed as he stood and followed his friend out onto the floor, taking in a breath before addressing the group. "Ladies," He said with a nod.

"Gentlemen," Shima countered.

"My friend I were wondering if we could join you."

"We're fine, thanks."

"Oh. Well… Maybe a drink will change your mind."

"Our friend already went to get our drinks. In fact, we should probably go check on her," Shima decided, motioning for her friends to follow as they made their way back to the table just as Mayuko appeared with said drinks.

"Since you didn't pick anything specific, I just got us the same thing," She said, passing Shima a beer bottle before turning to Tohru and Akito. "As for you two…I'm not quite sure what this is…But the bartender said something about it being strawberry-peach-crème whatever."

"Works for me," Akito shrugged as she took her glass, giving Tohru a sidelong glance as the other girl simply stared at hers. "It's not going to explode or anything…" She commented.

"Huh?!" Tohru said, her head snapping up as she stared at Akito with nervous eyes. "Oh! It's not…I just…What's in this?"

"Who _cares_?" Shima shrugged. "Just drink it."

' _Well…I guess I could give it a try…It does look appealing…'_ Tohru thought, taking in a soft breath before taking a sip, eyes going wide as the taste hit her.

"Good, isn't it?" Akito teased and Tohru eagerly nodded.

"Can we get more?"

"Finish that one first and we'll see," Mayuko laughed.

"So…Um…What do you guys usually talk about on nights like this?" Tohru asked carefully.

"Basically anything that isn't a family matter," Mayuko replied, setting down her beer at Tohru's raised eyebrow. "You know…Clothes, makeup, guys…"

"…Sex," Shima cut in.

"Oh yeah, there's a lot of sex talk."

"Speaking of which…" Shima said, turning her gaze to Akito. "What _exactly_ were you and Tedachi up to last night in that bathtub?"

"No _way_ ," Mayuko gasped. "You two were sexing in the bath? Well…I guess that explains why you both ran off so fast after supper."

"That's _not_ why!" Akito snapped.

"You are such a horrible liar! Come on. _Spill_. How was it?" Shima asked with curious eyes.

"I'm not sure if this is…" Tohru started.

"It…Well…" Akito muttered, one of her hands absentmindedly playing with her hair as she took in a breath in an attempt to compose herself. "It…was _fucking amazing_ ," She finally admitted. "It was just like something out of a romance novel. He lit all these candles and bought expensive wine…And the bubble bath was just…I can't even describe it. All I know is that it smelled amazingly sexy."

"Endless Wishes," Shima commented.

"What?"

"That's name of the bubble bath. I sampled the lotion at that little beauty shop when Nii-San and I took the girls out last week. I recognised it right away, on _both_ of you this morning."

"So that's what Hatori was talking about when he told Shigure that your boyfriend 'smelled like a chick,'" Mayuko teased.

"It wasn't in vain though," Akito said with a smirk.

"Oh, I'm sure you two had _a lot_ of fun with it," Shima added with a knowing wink.

"We _did_. He has the most amazing touch, especially when…" Akito started, catching herself when she realised what she was saying and quickly diverting her train of thought. "And it didn't stop with the bath either. We didn't sleep… _at all_. Okay, that's a lie, we fell asleep an hour before Shima showed up. But, _still_."

"You two are something else, you know that?" Mayuko said.

"Oh, you're just jealous," Shima teased.

"Actually Hatori and I have had plenty of our own escapades during this holiday, thank you very much. Why do you think we let Shigure play babysitter at night?"

"Okay, now you _have_ to spill!"

"Only if you go get me a refill."

"Deal. Akito, you're coming with," Shima decided as she stood, getting a shrug in response as Akito followed, giggling at something the other woman whispered as they sauntered off.

"They'll be awhile," Mayuko said to Tohru, who she had noticed was rather closed off and uncomfortable during the conversation.

"Okay," Tohru muttered.

"I know, let's dance. It'll take your mind off things."

' _I'm not sure about that…I know we're friends and all but…I think I just found out way more than I ever wanted to know about Akito_ _ **and**_ _Tedachi…'_ Tohru thought as Mayuko eagerly grabbed her hand and led her out to the floor.

* * *

As the night wore on, things got a little easier for Tohru as she adjusted to the talk and the environment around her. She soon took to dancing with her friends, and dancing with men who asked, though she _did_ have to be rescued a few times from guys who just wouldn't take a hint.

' _What is it about her, anyway?'_ Akito thought with a raised eyebrow watching while Tohru attempted to have actual conversations with the four guys surrounding her as she leaned against the bar, waiting on her next drink, looking up when she felt another presence.

"You know," A tall man said, setting one hand on the bar and situating himself into a laid-back stance. "That dress looks amazing on you," He complimented.

"Hm? Oh, thanks," Akito muttered absentmindedly. Under the right circumstances, she knew that she could play with this guy a bit, lead him on and then leave, but decided that, for the moment, her drink was more important.

"But…" The man continued, setting a hand over hers. "I think it would look better on my bedroom floor."

"Well, I _don't_ ," Akito snapped, quickly pulling her hand from his grasp.

"So, you're saying that he _won't_ look good on you?" His friend asked as he came up on the other side.

"Look, I know what you're trying to do and…" Akito started, glaring up at the first guy as he grabbed the hand she had raised to stop him.

"Yeah, _you_ ," He said.

"Well I'm not…"

"Hey, Babe. Sorry to keep you waiting," Another voice said as an arm snaked around Akito's waist.

"Shima?" Akito gave her a curious look that said, 'what are you doing?'

"Just roll with it," Shima whispered, before raising her voice. "I just couldn't get away. I hope you weren't waiting long."

"Not at all. I even found some lovely company."

"Oh, and who are you lovely gentlemen?"

"Okay. Cut it out," The second guy snapped.

"Yeah. It's not like we haven't seen this crap before."

' _Shit!'_ Shima thought upon realising that their guise was slowly dropping, she quickly racked her brain for an idea, and took in a breath when she realised there was only one way out as she turned to face Akito. "Close your eyes and pretend I'm Tedachi," She ordered in a whisper, not giving Akito even the slightest chance to respond before pressing her lips to the other woman's.

' _What the fuck?'_ Akito thought as Shima's lips touched hers. However, instead of ruining the illusion, she simply gave in and instinctively set her hands on her best friend's waist as she lingered a little longer than necessary before pulling away. Looking at her in surprised daze that the men mistook for affection.

"You know we could try…" The one whispered to his friend, who raised an eyebrow that slowly lowered and was replaced with a smirk and a nod as he again sauntered over and wedged himself between the two women.

"So have you two ever thought about…" He started, abruptly stopping when Akito smacked him across the face.

"Why can't you just leave us be? Ugh. Remind me to never let you plan the dates again," She said, shooting Shima a look as the two men finally shrugged and walked away just as the bartender slid her drink over.

"Nice touch," Shima commented.

"Thank you. Oh, and by the way…"

"Hm?"

Akito only smirked before lightly smacking her across the face as well.

"What was _that_ for?!"

"For that kiss. And by the way, Tedachi's a lot better at it."

"Oh, I'm sorry I don't know how to properly make out with you!" Shima said, feigning offense before turning to the bartender.

"You could practice on Tohru," Akito teased, gesturing toward her left, where two more guys had joined the group surrounding the poor girl.

"You know what would look really good on you?" The first man said.

"Um…what?" Tohru asked innocently, getting a smirk in response.

"Me…And my friend. Let me buy you a drink and we'll talk about it."

"You…don't have to. He already…" Tohru stuttered gesturing toward another guy.

"You guys are trying too hard. Girls like this are easy…" Another cut in, setting a hand on her shoulder. "Nice shoes, Darling…Wanna make out with me?"

"Um…Well…I…I have…I mean…I don't…"

"Alright, that's enough!" Mayuko snapped as she pushed her way through. "She's obviously not interested."

"And who are you? Her _mum_?"

Mayuko simply whipped around and smacked the man who'd said it, saying, " _NO_! How old do you think I _am_?! I am a mother. But _not_ to her! Mydaughter is _two_."

"Hot single mum alert," One guy whispered to another, before turning to Mayuko. "You know, if your daughter needs a father…" He said, cringing when the back of her hand met _his_ face.

"She already has one. Thank you very much! Come on Tohru, let's get out of here," She said, pulling her away by the arm.

"Thank you…" Tohru muttered as Mayuko spotted and made her way over to Shima and Akito.

"You girls about ready to get out of here?" Mayuko asked.

Shima nodded. "It's been fun, but my feet are starting to protest."

"How many phone numbers did you get tonight?" Akito teased.

"At least nine. You?"

"Six."

"Tohru?"

"Me?! Oh…Well…I don't know," Tohru replied.

"I've got at least five. There would be more, but a few guys stopped when they finally saw the ring," Mayuko confessed as she whipped out her mobile and quickly texted.

"While we're waiting, let's sit for another round," Shima suggested. "I have story that you're just going to _adore_. Isn't that right, my love?" She teased, slipping an arm around Akito's waist with an affectionate gaze.

"Cut it out!" Akito ordered, quickly removing Shima's arm.

"Oh, now I have _got_ to hear this," Mayuko decided as the group made their way back to their table, where, more drinks were shared and laughs had before Hatori arrived to drive them all home, raising an eyebrow as he drove and listened to their stories, giving Mayuko a look once they entered the house and the other girls' dispersed.

"You're kind of late, aren't you?" Tedachi teased as Akito quietly opened the door to their room.

"Oh, hush. Why are you up so late anyway?" She asked. "It's almost two AM."

"I couldn't sleep," He shrugged. "So, did you have fun tonight?"

She nodded. "We all did…Except for Tohru. I think she was a little out of place."

"She'll just have to get used to it. You said your first time at a club was uncomfortable too."

"True," Akito shrugged smiling up at him as he stepped closer and slipped a hand under her chin.

"Your lipstick is smeared…Who have you been kissing?" He asked, his face unusually serious. He hoped – prayed – that it was from drinking and that she hadn't gone too far with her flirting, or that someone hadn't forced her into something she didn't want.

"Shima," She replied.

"Oh, well that's…Wait… _Shima_?!"

"Um…Yeah. Funny story. There were these guys who wouldn't take a hint, so she stepped and tried to pretend to be my girlfriend…But they didn't believe her. Then she told me to pretend she was you and…next thing I knew, her lips were on mine."

"Let me get this straight…You made out with your best friend…All because some losers couldn't walk away?"

"We didn't _make out_. It was one kiss."

"Did you like it?"

"What?" Akito asked with wide eyes, one of her hands going straight for her hair. "Well…I mean…It wasn't the worst kiss ever. She's really not bad."

"But?"

" _But_ …You're better. A thousand times better. And I told her so."

Tedachi simply smirked as he grabbed her hand and pulled her towards him. "Good girl," He teased just before pressing his own lips to hers.

"We should get to bed," Akito decided when he pulled back. "It's late and I'm tired."

"Not too tired for another dance I hope."

"What?" She laughed.

"I feel like I got left out. I'm sure you danced with plenty of other men tonight and…"

"You're jealous."

"Just a little."

"One problem. I don't really know how to dance. Not the way you're probably talking about…Besides, I have a better idea. Let's just skip the formalities and…" Her voice was cut off as he kissed her again, pressing harder, deeper this time as his arms settled around her, one of them toying with a dress strap as she pulled away to catch her breath, only to immediately pull him back to her.

"I thought you were tired," He whispered.

"This is your fault. You woke me up," She teased, eagerly kissing him again and losing her train of thought as she completely surrendered to him and gave him permission to do whatever he pleased, which somehow led to her being pressed up against the wall of the shower, his lips practically assaulting hers as he forced his way into her mouth, their tongues engaging in a brief battle for dominance that she quickly gave up, earning a smirk in response as he took one of his hands to her hair and pressed even harder, his tongue easily, slowly curling around hers.

"Oh, God… _Teda—_ ," Akito moaned when he pulled away, his name soon being cut off as he leaned in and captured her lips again, a low moan soon escaping those lips at the feeling of his fingers brushing against her overheated flesh as his hands moved downward, lips following shortly thereafter as he kissed and nipped his way down her neck, roughly biting at where her neck and should met and giving the bite a gentle lick before slipping a hand underneath her thigh, silently coaxing her up so she could wrap that leg around his waist.

Tedachi paused, smirked against her skin while he contemplated his next move and ultimately decided to kiss a path back _up_ her neck to her lips, relishing in the soft gasp she gave just before their lips met again and he felt, rather than saw, her arms come up and wrap around his neck moments before he pushed her farther up against the wall, swallowing the moan she gave when she felt his growing erection brush against her thigh.

"Ah! _Tedachi_ ," She gasped at the feeling of him against her, a small smile soon playing at her lips as she shifted slightly and rolled her hips against him, relishing in the way he groaned out her name, until he pulled back and narrowed his eyes at her.

' _So…That's how you want to play?'_ He thought, easily reaching off to the side for and promptly flipping open a little purple bottle, eyes locked with hers as he carefully poured just enough of the clear liquid into his palm and then slowly rubbed it between his thumb and forefingers.

Akito only stared, watching him carefully and then biting her lip to hold back what she knew would be a loud moan when she realised what this meant and thought briefly about the way it would feel when he slid those fingers against and into her.

A smirk teased his features as he caught her expression, leaned in and kissed her ardently, the kiss distracting her as he carefully, slowly, slid his hand between her legs, taking his time in tracing patterns along her inner thigh and relishing in the long, sensual moan that escaped her lips once his fingers finally met with her heat. He didn't enter her however, only ran his fingers up and down the already wet crevice, dampening her further with both her own wetness and the lubricant, the latter of which made her shiver when it made contact with her swollen clit.

" _Fuck_ ," She groaned right before he captured her lips with a slow, soft kiss that only served to frustrate her more when he refused her attempts to deepen it, even after she bit down on his lip, frowning when, instead of giving into the silent demand, he pulled away and took his lips to her neck again, licking a hot line against her skin and drawing an aggravated moan out of her.

Though he relished in the sound, Tedachi knew that, even if she had stayed quiet, he would be able to easily sense her frustration. The way she desperately gripped his hair and moved her hips against his fingers combined with the needy, lustful look in her narrowed eyes told him all he needed to know, and he _loved it_. He loved that she was completely under his control, and that he had her – Just _her_. Naked, vulnerable and completely, utterly, frustrated. And it was that raw, unbridled desire that fueled him as he continued working his fingers between her legs, gently, _tortuously_ running the slender digits along the hot, hidden flesh once more as he shifted slightly and descended upon her breasts, taking one into his mouth in the same moment he finally plunged directly into the fount of wetness, finger curling, making her hips jerk downwards as she gave a hard moan.

"Tedachi… _Please_ …" Akito begged, biting back a startled shriek when his thumb brushed against her clit.

"Please, what?" He teased.

"You –" She started, the reply soon melting into a low groan when he turned his attention back to her breast, her taut, peaked nipple fitting neatly between his lips as he tugged on it gently, seeing how far it went with him before he released it, wasting no time in quickly coming up and capturing her lips in a hard, rough kiss, easily sliding another finger into her and barely biting back his own moan when he felt her move against his hand, the motions growing more frantic the longer he went on, her flesh eagerly swelling in anticipation of the climax she felt building in every nerve of her body.

"You… _know_ what!" She finally snapped once she found her voice, the statement ending in a gasp as he trailed soft, hot kisses up her jaw, pausing to kiss and then nip at her earlobe.

"But I want you to _say it_ ," He demanded, the dark, husky tone in his voice sending a shiver of arousal up her spine. She absolutely adored his dominant side. The commanding tone in his voice, his dark, hungry gaze…It all reminded her that _he_ was taking charge. That _he_ was the one responsible for her pleasure and that her release was dependent on _him_ deciding that she _deserved_ one. She was completely defenseless and, surprisingly, loved every minute of it.

It took her a few moments to regain her ability to speak as he brought his deft fingers all the way out of her, only to abruptly thrust them back, harsher this time, in the same moment his teeth met her shoulder.

"I…" She gasped. "I…Want…No…I _need_ you…"

"What do you need me to do?"

"Fuck me. _Hard_."

For a brief moment, he thought about saying "no," and carrying on with his relentless teasing, but one hard look at her convinced him otherwise. The way her eyes were glassed over with both pleasure and frustration…combined with the way her hair stuck to her forehead and how every single drop of the now lukewarm water fell gracefully along the curves of her body…only made him want to take her until she screamed. So, instead of answering her question with words, he threaded his hands through her hair once again and pulled her in for a hard, searing kiss, those hands soon slithering down to her hips, first caressing and then lifting before he carefully, slowly slipped into her.

"How much can you take?" He demanded.

Breathless and still reeling from his kiss, she whispered, "All you've got."

Tedachi gave a small smirk in response that lasted for only a moment before she grabbed his hair and pulled him in for another passionate kiss, that he allowed her to take control in, holding back a moan when she first bit, and then sucked on his lower lip before slipping her tongue into his mouth and letting out a soft moan of her own against his mouth and then eagerly accepting the lingering kiss that followed as she clung to him, nails clawing at his shoulders as she surrendered to the sensations. The increasingly fast movements of his hips, the slick sounds as he slid in and out of her, the friction between their bodies as they moved together, hungering for release, the eruption of pleasure when his groin rubbed against just the right spot, all made her lose herself in the ecstasy of his body as she gave into the pleasure and eagerly cried out, the sound driving him, making him move harder, faster.

" _Akito_ ," He groaned out right before his pleasure crested over, the climax hitting him hard and fast, his body seething with desire as his hips jerked forward in short, rapid thrusts, the motions soon making _her_ pleasure reach its zenith as well. She came somewhere in the middle of it all, her own body being overtaken by wave after wave of contractions as she cried out his name in ecstatic abandon.

"We're still alive, right?" Tedachi managed to choke out after he caught his breath and carefully slid out of her, earning a disappointed groan in response.

"I don't think I could feel like this if I wasn't…" Akito replied, ending the statement with a soft kiss. "However, if this happens to be a dream, please don't wake me up. This has probably been one of the best days of my life."

"And why is that?" He asked, easily moving to shut off the water and then step out of the shower with her following.

"Well…Let's see…" She mused, watching and waiting as he grabbed a bath towel and carefully wrapped it around her. "It may not have started out so great… I _was_ woken up way too early and dragged shopping, but then I got to come back and take a nap before being dragged out again to a decent club for some much-needed girl talk, drinks and…well, flirting…Only to come back and find something that tastes a thousand times better than the alcohol."

He gave her a soft smile before saying with a laugh, "So…How much you want to bet we woke the whole house up?"

Akito could only smile and shake her head, thinking as she kissed him, _'Seriously. What the hell am I going to_ _ **do**_ _with you?'_ She smirked at her own thought and then, catching his look, asked, "We're not done yet, are we?"

"Absolutely not," He said as he swept her up and they laughed before sharing yet another kiss.


	14. Vulnerability, Part 1

_**Vulnerability, Part 1**_

 _ **A/N:** So, this next two-parter_ _will be the last of this story posting wise. I've decided to go back to writing for my friends only due to the lack of response.  
_

 _Usual warning applies for sexual content and the fact that this part of the chapter is really heavy on the romance. In addition to that, this chapter also comes with a **mild trigger warning for sexual assault**. It's nothing major, but I was advised to put a warning in by several friends and I pray I don't offend anyone with this particular chapter set, especially since I beat myself up over it for at least a month while it was being written. _

_Lastly, Thank you to everyone who read/reviewed up to this point, I really, really appreciate and love you all.  
_

* * *

 _Timline: Late August, a week after the summer holiday._

Akito sighed as she flipped yet another page in the business proposal she was being forced to overlook, frowning when a light breeze shuffled the papers even further. While she knew it was part of her duty as head of the family to oversee certain parts of the Sohmas' many enterprises, she also couldn't shake the feeling that this was all a ruse, particularly because she had been coaxed into attending a business dinner with the other party's _only_ son. On the phone, Chiaki Kohinata had claimed that he wanted his son to start taking a bigger role in the family affairs and thought of this merger as the perfect opportunity for him to get his feet wet, but Akito wasn't stupid. She _knew_ that it was all a poor excuse for him to flaunt his son at her, and hope she would be willing to take the bait.

' _I never even met this guy and I_ _ **know**_ _he'll end up irritating me. When will they understand that I'll get married when I'm good and ready?!'_ She thought with a scowl, looking up when a bowl landed next to her.

"You look like you need these," Minori said with a smile.

Akito simply raised an eyebrow looking from her to the strawberries, a small smile playing at her lips as she plucked one from the bowl.

"Thank you, Minori," Minori declared, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Thank you, Minori," Akito repeated.

The younger girl gave a short nod and turned to leave Akito to her work, quietly sliding the door behind her.

The moment she was gone, Akito thrust her hand into her hair, groaning at the sight of _more_ numbers and charts as she leaned back in her chair, soon turning it away from the desk to glance about the room, searching for a distraction. Eventually her eyes turned towards her closet, which she stared into for a minute before suddenly realising that she hadn't given the slightest thought to what she would wear that night. In fact, she'd been avoiding thinking about it. The idea of going to a nice restaurant with a guy that wasn't her boyfriend irritated her. She found that she couldn't stand the idea of picking out something special for someone who wasn't Tedachi. And, on top of that, she had to be careful so that this guy didn't get the wrong idea.

' _I guess…I could wear a suit or something…But that would seem out of place. And it's too hot to wear a blazer. Or…what about that purple dress? The one with the cropped jacket? That could work…And so could the blue dinner party dress. And black is always a choice. Except that the only black dresses I have are the black and pink one – which I've worn far too often – and…The cocktail dress…'_ Akito thought, a mild blush creeping up when she thought about the latter option. After Tedachi had told her about a certain dream he had, Akito commissioned the strapless, low back piece from Ayame just for him and had made it a point to wear it on their first expensive restaurant date. Then, she had deliberately dragged the evening out, eating as slowly as she could manage, taking only small, dainty sips from her wine glass and then goading him into a longer-than-necessary walk in a nearby park. By the time they had gotten back to his flat, he was so fed up with waiting he ended up taking her against the wall. The second time she had worn it had been just two weeks ago, during their beach holiday. Once they had made up following the Hazuki incident, Tedachi made good on his promise to take her out for a nice dinner, followed by a walk on the beach before she practically dragged him back to their bedroom.

Back in the present, Akito gripped the arms of her desk chair, feeling herself going involuntarily hot at the memory of Tedachi sliding his hands up and under black satin as she kissed him hotly, her hands fisted in the fabric of his shirt.

She both hated and _adored_ that he could do that to her. That he could take away her willpower so easily and make her surrender to his touch. While she sometimes found herself hating the lack of control, she absolutely loved the way his voice darkened and how he was able to command her with nothing more than a simple glance.

" _Fuck,_ " Akito snapped, cringing when her fist collided with the hard plastic of the chair arm. She wasn't sure how or why she'd gotten herself worked up, but now that she was, she knew she was going to have to do something about it. A quick look at the clock told her it was nearing the first lunch hour for the maids, and she smiled at the thought.

' _Good. While they're away I can find Tedachi and…'_ She thought, trailing off and scowling when she realised it wasn't going to be that simple. _'Never mind. He's off today. Goddammit! I guess I could…But it wouldn't be the same. His touch is far more satisfying then my own. He makes me feel things I could never imitate alone.'_

Her conflicting thoughts were punctuated by an aggravated groan as she finally turned back to the desk and laid her head on her arms, shooting up when her hand brushed her mobile. After taking a moment to contemplate her choices, she picked it up and quickly dialed.

"Hatori, what are you doing this afternoon?" She asked once he answered, not giving him a chance to greet her properly.

"Nothing really. My last appointment just left and Shigure is watching Himeko. Why?" Hatori replied.

"Can you do me a small favour?"

* * *

Tedachi let out a content sigh as he leaned against the kitchen counter. Everything he had set out to do for the day was done, which left him both amused and bored. Everyone he knew was still at work, a consequence of having an abnormal schedule. He didn't have anything planned until six, when he was supposed to meet his brother at their favourite bar, though if he was honest with himself, he knew he would have preferred to be meeting Akito. Unfortunately for the both of them, she had been suckered into attending a "business" dinner with the son of a prospective business partner. It was a necessary evil that he was less than appreciative about. He wasn't stupid. He knew it was all just a scheme to goad her into a marriage she didn't want and the thought angered him.

' _It's not that I don't trust her. I do. It's these other people I don't trust. Especially because they think she's too dumb to know any better,'_ He thought as he ran a hand through his hair, soon dropping it and raising an eyebrow when a hard knock cut through his thoughts. He half expected to see a neighbour as, the last time this happened, it was someone delivering some post that had gotten mixed in with his. However, what he found was far less expected.

"Akito?" He asked as he looked down at his girlfriend, who quietly let herself in and slipped off her sandals. "What are you…" He started, only to be cut off as she violently fisted her hands in the fabric of his shirt and pulled him down, crashing her lips to his without saying a word and eagerly shoving him towards the wall as she stepped forward.

"What has gotten into you?" He gasped when she pulled away, getting another forceful kiss in response. This time, she pressed harder, eagerly forcing her tongue into his mouth and holding back a soft moan when it slid over his as he fell into the kiss. While part of him told him to resist, to shove her away and ask her what was happening, the other part – the one that was ruling him – fully indulged her, giving into her ardent demands and allowing her to slip her hands under his shirt, letting out a soft groan at the feeling of her nails scraping over his flesh while his own hands settled on her waist and pulled her closer.

Akito thought to say something, _anything_ , but found that she couldn't put her emotions into words and settled for accepting another kiss, gasping when his hands moved up and down her sides and then came around to settle on and gently squeeze her ass.

He gave a soft laugh at her startled yelp and declared as his hands made their way back to her hips, "You know what? I don't care what's gotten into you."

Akito expected to be pulled in again, but was roughly shoved toward the opposite wall instead. She gasped when her back hit it, and was immediately silenced by his forceful, searing kiss as he slid his hands up and around to settle on the small of her back for a moment, drawing out the following kiss as a distraction and relishing in the soft moan she gave when his tongue met with hers and he began pulling at the restrictive lacing on her strapless purple sundress.

"T—Tedachi," Akito breathed as she felt the fabric begin to slacken away from her, the statement turning into a gasp when his lips hit her neck.

"Yes?" He teased, gently nipped and bit back a laugh at her startled gasp while his fingers continued working behind her back, lips curving into a smirk as he moved his hands upward and began gently pulling and sliding the dress downward, pausing and putting his hands on her hips once the fabric settled there.

When he came back up to kiss her, she snaked her arms around his neck, gave a low groan at the way he lingered, refusing her attempts to deepen the kiss, even after she pressed herself against him and roughly bit down on his lip, frowning when he pulled away and laughed in response as he ran his fingers up and down her sides, the light, absentminded touches making her shiver with a desire that could clearly be seen in her eyes, which she locked his with as he carefully, _finally_ , pushed down the fabric gathered at her waist and let it drop to the floor, giving a low groan as he took a moment to look her over before capturing her lips yet again.

Just as he had done before, Akito resisted all his attempts to deepen and draw out the kiss, even turning her head away at one point and letting out a soft giggle at the way his lips sloppily hit her jaw line. She then turned back toward him with a teasing smile, fisted her hands in his shirt and used it to roughly pull her back to him in a manner similar to the one she had used when she arrived, moaning against his lips after finally letting him take control and catching onto his silent cue as he slipped a hand under her thigh and drew it up so that she could wrap that leg around his waist, which lifted her slightly and allowed him to push her further against the wall.

She clung to him tightly, as if he'd disappear if she suddenly let go and gasped at the feeling of his lips trailing down her neck yet again while she pressed herself even closer – if that was possible, and bit back a moan when she unconsciously moved her hips against him, pleasure coursing through her body when he let out a hard moan of his own as she managed to rub herself against just the right spot.

" _Akito_ ," Tedachi groaned against her skin, biting down into her shoulder and getting a startled shriek in response when she repeated the motion, pausing for a minute to gather his thoughts before taking his hands back to her hips and lifting slightly, a hint that she took as she hooked her other leg around him.

She half-expected him to simply undo his zipper and take her right there and then, and was surprised when, instead, he pulled her off the wall and started to move with the intention to take her into the bedroom. However, he quickly realised that they weren't going to make it that far and settled for the sofa, breath hitching when he once again caught the pure, unbridled passion in her eyes as he carefully sat her down, fumbling with and throwing aside his shirt before stepping over and kneeling against the sofa, putting his knee on the cushion beneath her, the action forcing her to spread her thighs as he hovered above her, gently pushed a piece of hair out of her face and then eagerly pressing his lips to hers in a kiss that she willingly let him have control in, simply taking what he had to offer as his tongue slid past her lips and over hers while her fingers found their way into soft, dark hair, a moan escaping her lips when she felt his own fingers drawing careful, slow circles at her sides as he contemplated his next move, still slightly confused as to what had brought this on. But, he wasn't about to complain, not when she was indulging him the way she was, hands moving from his hair, down his shoulders and to his chest, where her nails gently scraped the overheated skin.

Akito gave a soft gasp when he shifted slightly, left a soft kiss on the corner of her mouth and then moved to kiss the tops of her breasts, a gentle moan rolling of her own lips at the feeling of his teeth scraping against the sensitive flesh.

He relished in the sound and the following sigh she gave when he removed his hands from her sides and began pulling at the halter ribbon on her show-bra, a small smile gracing his lips when she also reached behind her back and unhooked the garment just as the ribbon came undone.

The moment it fell into her lap, he took his lips back to her breasts, carefully drawing one of her already tight nipples into his mouth in the same moment he slid a hand back down and slipped it between her legs, eyes widening a bit when his fingers brushed over damp lace.

"Akito…" He said with a low groan against her skin. "You…you're already…So… _Wet_ …" He muttered, biting back a moan as she gave a delicate whimper, pressing herself down onto his wandering fingers, silently pleading with him, that whimper melting into a long, loud moan when he continued and began moving his fingers up and down in between her folds, teasing her through the silken fabric.

" _Tedachi…_ Ah!" She moaned and then bit back a startled gasp when he nipped at the underside of a breast.

He groaned her name out as well, eagerly shifted to kiss her lips and swallow one of the many sensual moans she had been giving in response to his ministrations as her hips eagerly moved against his hand, the increasingly impatient shifting alerting him to her growing need. However, instead of giving up and giving in, which he did consider, he abruptly pulled away from her, barely ignoring the feeling of the fly of his pants rubbing against his swollen erection, the unkind caress only making his need burn hotter.

Akito opened her mouth to say something, but didn't have the chance to even finish the initial thought. Instead she found herself focusing on every move her boyfriend made as he knelt down in front of her and set his hands on her slightly-spread spread thighs, taking a minute to trail his fingers along the sensitive flesh, soon moving them upwards to toy with the ribbons at her hips.

He could smell her already, the distinctly feminine fragrance of her lust driving him as he roughly pulled at both ribbons and practically ripped the fabric out from under her before moving a hand under her thigh, drawing it up slightly and licking a hot line against the flushed skin, the action drawing forth a long, keening moan from her that only got louder when he slowly slid a finger into her, groaned at the feeling of her inner body pulsing around him as she arched against his hand, a silent command for him to keep going. And he did, slipping another finger into her shortly afterwards and curling them both.

"T—Tedachi! _Please_ ," Akito managed to gasp out, just barely catching his small smirk as he shifted one of her legs up onto his shoulders, which gave him a better view of the hidden flesh of her body, flushed and pulsing beneath his gaze. The sight drew a low moan from his own mouth as he leaned in to kiss her mons just before slipping his tongue into her wet folds, gently flicking it against her clit as he slid his fingers all the way out of her and then roughly shoved them back in, groaning against her when he felt her nails digging into his free shoulder, the action sending a pleasant shiver up her spine that, combined with the way he slowly curled his fingers inside of her, made her cry out. There was nothing on her mind but him and the pleasant torture he was inflicting on her as he continued his slow motions, fueled by the hard, sensual moans and gasps of his name spilling from her lips.

His eyes shot back up briefly, and he felt a hard, hot wave of pleasure go down his own body when he caught the sight of her teasing her own breast. He had yet to tell her, but he loved watching her touch herself, especially _during_ sex. He liked that she was willing to take her pleasure into her own hands – both metaphorically and literally – in order to make things more enjoyable for them both. Because, if she wasn't into it, it wasn't fun for either of them. Plus, it showed a level of implicit trust, a truly intimate side of herself she didn't _dare_ let anyone but _him_ know about. The thought drew another long moan from him as he increased the pace, alternating rhythms, but never quite giving in and relishing in the increasingly loud cries of pleasure she gave as her grip on his hair tightened and her nails scraped against his scalp.

She began calling his name like a mantra shortly before he felt her shudder against him when the first wave of ecstasy crested over her and she let out a shrill, girlish scream of his name as he continued to slide in his fingers in and out of her until the contractions weakened, biting his lip at the plaintive moan she gave when he finally withdrew them and abruptly pulled away from her, taking a few minutes to look her over and just barely holding back a long moan as he took in the sight of her, from the locks of dark silk framing her flushed face, to the way her small breasts rose and fell with every panting breath as she shifted restlessly underneath his hard gaze, which shot back up to lock with her impatient one.

' _Oh…I can't take it anymore!'_ Tedachi thought, quickly standing to tackle his pants, and silently cursing as his trembling hands struggled first with the button and zipper and then the task of actually pushing the fabric down and off his legs, letting out a silent sigh of relief when he felt the cool air on his hard, flushed skin, watching as Akito watched him and thinking it beyond sexy when she bit down on her lip to hold back a moan at the sight of him hard and ready for her, _because_ of her.

She followed his every step as he made his way back to the sofa and raised an eyebrow when he sat next to her, the look easily shifting from curiosity to anticipation as he motioned for her to sit in his lap and waited while she shifted, moved to straddle him and gasped when he reached between them to guide himself into her, giving her a moment to adjust and then eagerly pulling her against him and crashing his lips to hers after she had locked eyes with him.

" _Akito_ ," He moaned and she started to move against him, rolling her hips in slow, tight circles that only served to frustrate him as he began to move with her and accepted the lingering kiss she offered, giving a low groan when she shivered against him as his fingers ghosted over her sides before settling on her hips to guide her along, silently urging her to move harder, faster.

She gasped out his name when he squeezed her, pressing his fingers into her skin as hers dug into his shoulders, her nails leaving little red welts that he groaned at. Though he'd never told her directly, she knew he wasn't opposed to being scratched up a little, which worked in her favour since she _loved_ leaving her mark on him and knowing that he was _hers_. However, her nails didn't linger for too long. Fueled by his impatient moans and silent requests, she reluctantly moved her hands from his shoulders to the back of the sofa, which allowed her to move a little easier and come down on him harder.

"Oh, _God_ ," He muttered, following up the statement with a hard moan of her name that made her shudder against him with a moan of her own that he silenced by pulling her in for a hot, searing kiss, leaning in to whisper once they broke apart, " _Fuck me_ , Akito."

The words, combined with the hard, husky tone of his voice sent a wave of arousal through her body that drove her to keep going with renewed vigor. She decided right there and then that she wanted to make _him_ scream, but noticed that her own desires didn't go neglected as his hands wandered over her body, tracing every curve and finally stopping at and teasing her breasts, the action making her cry out.

" _Tedachi_ ," She moaned, her grip on the cushions tightening. "I…I need you to…" She cut herself off with a gasp, taking a second to find her voice before continuing, "Touch me, Tedachi."

His lips managed to form a small smirk at her request as his hand slid back down and in between her legs. He then reveled in the way she cried out his name when his fingers began teasing her sensitive, swollen clit.

' _Oh, God…Oh,_ _ **God**_ _, I can't take it anymore…'_ She thought, the idea carrying itself over into her words as she gasped out, "I'm gonna come…"

The second the words were out of her mouth her body eagerly surrendered to the release she had desperately needed since before her arrival. It hit her hard and fast and was _far_ more satisfying than anything she could have done with her own hands, especially when, in the middle of it, she felt the wave of molten heat that indicated that he too, had surrendered to their mutual passion, a low scream of her name accompanying the orgasm that she rode out with him.

"I love you," She tried to say, but the words got stuck in her throat and she settled for accepting a slow, lazy kiss instead.

"Okay…Not that I didn't appreciate that, but…What just happened?" Tedachi asked once he gathered his thoughts and found his voice.

"Oh, well…I…" Akito muttered, trying to search for an explanation as she played with her hair, the words lost on her when a cold chill ran up her spine, making her shiver.

"Hold that thought," He instructed, gently urging her up and off of him before standing to make his way into the bedroom, soon returning with a purple satin robe that he draped over her shoulders.

"I forgot that you like it ridiculously cold," She said, slipping her arms into the sleeves with an annoyed frown, moving to his side once he sat and settling her head into the crook of his shoulder while his arm came around to rest on her back.

"So…About the sex?"

"Oh…Well…You know how I have that dinner tonight?"

"Yes."

"Well, I was looking for a distraction from my work and started thinking about what I was going to wear to it…I went over my choices carefully. Purple dress with the cropped jacket, blue party dress with the sash, and then… _that_ dress…The cocktail dress. The one I got made just for you. I started thinking about how much you liked it and the way you took me up against the wall the first time I wore it, that night at the summer house…And I…Well…I kind of…"

He smirked. "You got yourself hot thinking about me, and then you came all the way over here just to jump me."

Akito simply nodded, unable to form any coherent thought as she focused on hiding the heavy blush on her cheeks.

"How did you get here anyway?"

"I had Hatori drive me."

"I feel like I should be oddly flattered that you would come all this way when you could've probably done something about it yourself," He said with a laugh that got caught in his throat when her head shot up.

" _No_! I couldn't have! Not really…You…Well…You can make me _feel_ things. Things I can't mimic with my own hands."

"Does that mean I can add 'Sex God' to my resume?" He joked, cringing when she smacked his arm. "Okay, okay. I get it. Let's change the subject then. About this dinner tonight, wear the purple dress."

"Why that one?" Akito asked, head tilted in curiosity.

"Because, it looks good on you. It fits in all the right places and is perfectly modest, so it won't give this guy the wrong idea. And, it's not like you picked it out because it was sexy or anything. You wore it to an engagement party."

"I guess it is more appropriate than my other choices…" Akito muttered more to herself than him as she turned the idea over in her head a few times, soon letting out a sigh of relief. "Alright. The purple one it is then." She decided with a small smile that disappeared later that evening as she stared at herself in her vanity mirror and scowled at her appearance.

"Alright, what's with that face?" Minori asked, setting a laundry basket on the bed. "You're really pretty when you're all dressed up."

"I don't want to be pretty and dressed up. Not for _him_ ," Akito snapped, accidentally reaching for and spraying her signature perfume. _'Great…Now he'll think I'm trying to have sex with him…'_

"I get it," Minori said, stalking over to set her hands on Akito's shoulders. "You'd rather be dressed up for Tedachi."

"Of course I would! I even put on the perfume _he_ gave me!" Akito gestured towards a purple crystalline bottle that the other girl immediately picked up and observed, holding it up to the light, turning it this way and that, making the dark liquid inside dance about.

"Moonlight Desire…Sounds sexy…." She paused, leaned in to her boss. " _Smells_ sexy."

"I know. And now he'll think I'm _trying_ to turn him on."

"Don't worry about that. Guys don't notice small details like that anyway. Just go out and go over the business proposal like you planned and you'll be fine. If he gets too close you can just leave. You have that right, you know."

"You're sure _this_ …" Akito gestured to herself. "Won't give him the wrong idea?"

"Nah. You like you're dressed for a nice dinner. But you're not trying to be sexy or put out. Now get out of here before you're late."

"I thought _I_ gave the orders around here."

"Not when _you're_ the one who's running late," Minori insisted, grabbing Akito's wrist and pulling her up. "Now, _go_!"

* * *

Awhile later, Masamune Kohinata sat tapping his fingers impatiently on the table he'd paid extra money to book. He knew he couldn't be too agitated, as he was the one who arrived early, but he also couldn't calm his nerves. His father hadn't told him anything about this woman, except that she was the _head_ of the Sohma family, they were in talks about a business deal and that he was supposed to make a good impression on her. The idea was that, if things went well that night, there would be more opportunities for meetings and possible marriage arrangements and, while Masamune would rather not be forced into marriage, he also figured that, if things didn't go completely awry, he wouldn't mind it either, especially if she was beautiful and willing.

Moments later, he abruptly stopped his impatient fingers, ready to stand at the sight of a hostess leading a slender, young woman with long, curled hair in a dark red dress that nicely accentuated both her hips and decent bust in his direction.

' _Could she be…? If so…Then, I really don't understand why they would hide her…I mean, she's…'_ He thought, looking up when a voice cut through his train of thought.

"Masamune Kohinata?" Akito asked, head titled slightly in curiosity as she followed his gaze across the room.

"Yes?"

"I'm Akito Sohma. It's nice to meet you," She greeted, dipping into a polite bow that he quickly stood and repeated, trying to hide disappointment. She wasn't at all like what he imagined or wanted. Instead of a lovely, curvy beauty with hair that fell in gentle curls, he had somehow ended up with a woman with a thin build, short hair and disappointingly small breasts. However, despite his disappointment, he _knew_ he had to at least see the night through.

"Please, sit," He insisted, motioning to the chair across from him.

"Actually, I was hoping to sit next to you. I have some plans for us both to look over," Akito offered, holding up a neatly-labeled blue folder.

"I guess that's okay," He shrugged and Akito frowned, thinking that he could make an effort to at least _pretend_ to be interested in this deal. Luckily, his mood seemed to improve after a few drinks and, he soon became willing to look over and discuss the plans with her as they both picked at their food.

"Now, your father seems to think that if we maximise…" She said, her voice soon fading out in his mind as he watched her point along a line of graphs, his gaze following the length of her arm, from her delicately painted, violet fingernails to her small wrist, all the way up to where shoulder met her slender neck, which was adorned with a lovely, silver chain housing a butterfly charm that rested nicely just above her small breasts.

"Masamune?" She asked, catching his wandering eyes and snapping him out of his trance.

"Um…Yes?"

"Did you get that?"

"Ah, yes. Of course. Continue," He lied and she shrugged, turned a page in the packet and proceeded to go over more fine details, eyes meeting his when she wanted to indicate something as noteworthy. _'Good god, her eyes are sexy. Dark and alluring. The way she uses them to talk is just…Wow. I wonder…what they look like…what_ _ **she**_ _looks like in bed. Does she look up through those long eyelashes when she wants something? Do they darken even further when she's turned on? Maybe I was wrong to be disappointed. Sure, she's small, but she's damn sexy,'_ He thought, pure lust in his own eyes as he discreetly looked her over again, his pupils widening when he caught the scent of her perfume as she leaned over to reach for another paper. He managed to swallow his groan, but couldn't help his wandering thoughts as he suddenly reached for her hand, prompting her to stop speaking as she glanced down at their hands joined over a chart and carefully, gently, shook hers free.

"Please, don't do that," She ordered politely.

"Why not?" Masamune asked, moving to grab her other hand and frowning when she pulled it out of his reach.

"Because I don't like people in my personal space. Now, if we could…" Akito started, soon trailing off as Masamune grabbed the hand reaching for the notes and shifted so that his face was directly in front of hers. "What…are you _doing_?!" She hissed, as she attempted to push her chair back, frowning when it wouldn't move.

"Come on, Akito. We both know why we're here, and it's not to discuss this," He said, gesturing towards the scattered charts and proposal letters.

Akito cringed at the way he said her name. It was too familiar and punctuated with a hard, husky breath that sent a bad chill up her spine. The only other person who ever dared to use that tone with her was Tedachi. Except…When he used it, it made her feel wanted and…desired and was often followed by a long, loving gaze. Hearing the same thing come out of _this_ man's mouth made her feel dirty and disgusting. And the way he looked at her, with pure, almost frenzied lust made her want to throw up. She felt less like a person and more like an object with each passing second.

"My father said he was surprised you haven't married yet and I'm inclined to agree. You're extremely beautiful…I don't understand how someone wouldn't have snatched you up by now."

"Don't talk about me like I'm some kind of toy!" She snapped, but heard her voice faltering as she began to succumb to her rising panic. He was far too close for comfort and had her effectively trapped. If she leaned any further back, she would be on the floor, and she couldn't exactly shove him off when he had one of her hands in his.

He chuckled. "Now I see. You've got a bit of a bite to you. Well, that's nothing that can't be fixed," He decided, his voice and eyes dark as he set an unwanted hand on her knee.

" _Stop_ ," She ordered, quickly turning her head away. She refused to give him the gratification of looking into her eyes, and seeing the fear that began to melt into anger as his hand slowly inched upwards and found its way under her skirt. Who was he to take advantage of her? She hadn't given him permission to touch her, especially not like _this_. She wanted to scream, cry, anything…But, instead, her words were temporarily lost as all of her emotions flowed into her free hand, which soon clenched tight with pure anger.

"I said… _STOP_ ," She practically screamed, pure rage in her eyes and voice as she brought her arm up and, in one fluid move, shoved her fist into the right side of his face, causing him to promptly tear away from her, his own hand going to his stinging eye.

"You little _bitch_!" He snapped with a hard growl that she ignored as she scrambled to her feet and snatched up her handbag before stomping off, deciding that he wasn't worth any more of her time and then whipping around when a hand landed on her shoulder. She then let out a sigh of relief when she found a waitress looking at her with a concerned expression.

"Let me walk with you," She insisted, getting a small nod in response before quickly falling into step next to Akito as they made their way outside, the warm, late summer air contrasting heavily with the cool, calm hush of the restaurant.

"Are you going to be okay?" The waitress asked.

"I should be. Thank you," Akito gave her another polite nod and then sighed once she was gone, walking away from the door to lean against a wall, shifting her shoulders uncomfortably against the hard surface before digging through her handbag to find both her cropped jacket and mobile, flipping the latter open after slipping on the extra accessory. She paused, stared at the screen for a few moments as she contemplated her choices. She figured she could always call Hatori, but she'd already had him go out of his way once that day, not that it really mattered. She _was_ the head of the family, and his former goddess. He'd come anyway. But, she soon realised that she didn't really want to see Hatori, or anyone from the main house. The only person she really wanted to see was supposed to be out on the town, but she took her chances and quickly, furiously began to text, taking time to glance around every so often just to make sure Kohinata wasn't going to come out of the shadows and try to jump her.

After a thankfully uneventful half hour, she let out a relieved sigh at the dark-blue car that pulled up to the curb.

"Hey pretty lady, need a lift?" Ryuji joked, looking at her from over his sunglasses through the open window.

"Stop being a creep, Ryu," Tedachi sighed as he stepped out of the car to open the back door, waiting while she got settled before sliding in next to her.

"Sorry for ruining your night," Akito muttered.

"It's fine. And you didn't ruin anything," Ryuji said, pulling off his sunglasses and setting them aside. "We were just getting started, actually."

"You said you were going out at six," Akito pointed out.

"Ryu had some stuff to finish at work," Tedachi shrugged. "So, are we taking you home?"

"There or Shigure and Shima's, it really doesn't matter. Though…Going to Shigure's would give me someone to talk to."

"Or…" Ryuji spoke up. "She can come with us."

" _What_?" Tedachi said, thinking that his brother had lost it. He never minded spending extra time with Akito, but to take her out with them on what was supposed to be a guys' night just seemed ridiculous.

"Why not? I've been around her enough times to know she's cool. Besides, you said she goes clubbing."

"Not regularly!" Akito interjected before Tedachi could answer. "But, yes. Shima and I have been known to go out and hit up clubs from time to time."

"So the scene isn't new to you then."

"No. And…I could really use a drink."

"I guess it's settled then," Ryuji decided with a shrug as he put the car in gear and they finally started to move.

"Are you _sure_ about this?" Tedachi asked, looking from his brother to his girlfriend and back again.

"I told you, it doesn't bother me," Ryuji sighed.

"Me either," Akito shrugged and leaned back, letting out a breath she didn't even know she'd been holding in. "Besides, a tall, fruity drink sounds really nice right about now."

"What happened anyway? Your text said things got bad but…"

"They did," She interrupted. "Remember how I told you this was far from a business dinner? Well, I was right. But, I treated it like one anyway. I had notes and charts for him to look over. I guess I was using it as a distraction, to focus on something that wasn't me. Or him. Or whatever it is his father wants us to be."

"And…?"

"At some point he decided I was actually worth his time and started… _leering_ at me. It was really unsettling, but I managed to ignore him, until he grabbed my hand without warning. I politely told him not to touch me, but…He wouldn't hear of it. Next thing I know he's got my other hand and is hovering over me. He managed to trap me and then he…Well…He wanted to…" Akito paused, her hands clenching and unclenching in her lap as another wave of disgust washed over her. Just the thought of his hands on her made her shiver. And not in a good way. She then took in a breath before finishing with, "He put his hand up my skirt."

"Wait… _WHAT_?!" Tedachi asked, his own hand clenching immediately at the thought. Though he wasn't usually quick to anger, just the _idea_ of someone else putting their hands on Akito – _His_ Akito – made his blood boil. The fact that someone thought that they could take advantage of her sickened him, and he had half a mind to demand that Ryuji turn the car around so he could smash this guy's face in. Next to him, Akito simply nodded, hands fisted in the fabric of her layered skirt.

"It was _awful_ , Tedachi. He looked at me like I was some sort of _toy_. Like, I existed solely for his amusement. And he…When he talked to me, he used this tone…The same one you use when you _want_ me. Except when he used it, it made me feel…well… _dirty_."

"Geez. She's not even my girlfriend and I want to punch this guy," Ryuji commented from the driver's seat.

"You don't have to. I already did," Akito informed him.

"You did…what?" Tedachi asked.

"Somewhere in the middle of it all I realised I had a free hand, so I punched him in the face."

Up front, Ryuji laughed. "You? _You_ decked somebody?"

" _Yes_! Why is that hard to believe?!"

"It's not…Well, not for my anyway," Tedachi admitted. A month after he had started his job in the main house, he had watched her completely trash a room in a tantrum after a failed business deal followed by a badly-timed argument with Ren. Of course, at the time, he hadn't known about the latter, nor did he ask. He had been too busy trying to move out of the path of the vase she had chucked across the room with a scream.

"I'm sorry. It's just that, she's so small and…"

"She's little, but she's fierce," Tedachi commented, turning his gaze to his girlfriend as he slid closer, wrapped an arm around her waist. "And I happen to like her that way."

" _Tedachi_ ," Akito murmured, a slight blush gracing her cheeks at the compliment that ended with a surprise kiss. At first, her eyes widened in confusion, but it didn't take long for instinct to kick in and she found herself kissing him back, returning his feelings tenfold, her hands settling on his chest and his on the small of her back as their kisses deepened.

"You two aren't going to do this all night, are you?" Ryuji sighed and they immediately separated just as he pulled into a car park.

"Sorry," Tedachi muttered, glancing over to see Akito playing with a piece of her hair.

"Look, I don't care if you two kiss every now and then, but I'm not going to watch you make out in the back of my car."

' _Pfft…You're just jealous because you haven't gotten any in awhile,'_ Tedachi thought with a smirk that his brother raised an eyebrow at as they all exited the car. "By the way…" He whispered after wrapping an arm securely around Akito's waist. "I know you're wearing _my_ perfume."

"I put it on out of habit," She explained.

"I'll just take it as a sign that you were meant to end up with me tonight," He teased and she laughed then and several times through the night as they exchanged stories in between drinks and eventually ended up back at the Sohma estate.

"Let me walk you," Tedachi offered, shooting his brother a knowing look over his shoulder as they started down the path, the late hour and lack of servants making them more inclined to link arms and walk close, keeping their eyes open for anyone who was lingering after a late shift.

"Welcome back!" Minori chirped as they entered the house, eyebrow raised in confusion at the sight of Tedachi. "I thought you went out to meet some high up company heir?"

"I did, it turned sour and I called him," Akito explained, leaning up for a quick kiss.

Tedachi simply nodded in agreement before turning to Minori. "Can you set us a bath?"

Minori gave a small nod in response and scurried off just as Akito shot him a look.

" _Us_? Does that mean you intend to join me?" She asked.

"Unless you don't want me to."

"No. I want you to. The places he touched still _burn_ ," She said, sneering as she said the last word. She had tried her best to ignore the feeling all night. But, even with the alcohol and dancing to distract her, she occasionally found her thoughts drifting back to dinner, and every time she thought about it, she felt Kohinata's hands on her and ended up feeling disgusting all over again.

Tedachi responded by sweeping her up, a smile playing at his lips as she let out a startled squeal before settling comfortably into the crook of his shoulder with a soft sigh that she repeated when she finally settled into the scented water of the bath following a rather vigorous scrub that he had to coax her out of.

"So…How are you feeling?" He asked carefully, moving to close the distance between them.

Akito simply stared up at him for a few moments, all her words caught in her throat as they locked eyes. She saw his drop briefly and watched the way he looked her over before turning his eyes back to hers, his gaze holding a faint hint of lust that drew a heavy blush out of her. Though lusty, his gaze also held a deep affection, one that made her feel beautiful for the first time that night. She wasn't sure if it was the steam from the water or the image of him hovering slightly above her, damp hair hanging in front of dark eyes that held nothing but love…But, no matter the cause. The heat. Tedachi. She shocked herself when she finally replied, "Sexy."

He smirked, holding back a light laugh. "Good. Because you _are_ sexy," He whispered hotly, as her hand came up, brushed a piece of hair out of his face before settling on his neck to pull him in for a soft, deep kiss that distracted them both to the point where neither heard the faint footsteps approaching the door.

"Knock, knock! I'm sorry about this, I brought some more towels and…" Minori declared, trailing off as she slid the door open. "Oh, so _this_ is what you two get up to in here."

" _Minori_ …Get _out_!" Akito snapped, desperately wishing that she had something within reach to throw at the girl's head.

"Okay, okay…But…" Minori started, abruptly stopping when a wet cloth hit her directly in between the eyes. " _Fine_ ," She said, shoulders slumped as she padded out.

"Good shot," Akito complimented as the footsteps got fainter. "Now…Where were we?"

"Here," He muttered against her lips before accepting another lingering kiss.

* * *

"Where did you learn to do _this_?" Akito asked, the question punctuated with a soft, content moan as Tedachi kneaded his hands into just the right spot on her back, smiling as he paused and leaned over to kiss her shoulder.

"Do you _really_ want me to answer that?" He replied, his voice right next to her ear, making her shiver against him as he swallowed a groan at the sensation, hand twisting the blankets that covered the lower half of her body.

Sometime during their bath, they decided that the night was too nice to be wasted and afterwards, ended up on the porch overlooking Akito's private garden with a decent collection of pillows and blankets surrounding them, as she lay on her stomach, pinned in place by his thighs as he straddled her, hands running gently over her bare back, admiring the way the clear moonlight shined over every little curve.

" _Yes_. I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want an answer," She said, glancing at him from over her shoulder.

"My last girlfriend had a thing for massages, so I had to learn rather quickly how to do it and do it _right_. She was kind of critical about it…That was part of the reason I broke up with her actually. She liked everything _just so_. God forbid if something wasn't perfect by her standards."

"High maintenance?"

"No. _You're_ high maintenance. She was just a bitch."

"I am not –"

"Yes you are and you know it, so don't try it."

Akito turned her head away, laid it on her arms with a distinct huff that made him laugh as he finally moved off of her, the two of them sitting in a comfortable silence until she decided to get up and climb into his lap.

"I'm sorry," He said, earning a confused look in response.

"For…What?" She asked, raising one of her hands and gently running it through his hair.

"For what he did to you."

"Why? You had nothing to do with it."

"I know…But, you said he made you feel _awful_ and dirty and…Just the idea of that…"

"You're angry," Akito interrupted.

"Of course I am. Not only did some other guy put his hands on you, but he made you feel like a sex object. I think I'm more pissed off about the fact that I didn't get to hit him myself. I mean, I'm happy you can defend yourself, but…" He said, stopping when she put a finger to his lips.

"Shush. Let's not talk anymore…Not about that. And not in complete sentences," She said, the hand that was playing with his hair moving to find his hand, fingers intertwining as she leaned in for a long kiss. One that was gentle, but deep and expressed both her feelings and intentions. It was easily returned and followed up with a kiss of equal vigor as he pulled his hand out of hers and slid it up under the blanket that had gathered at her waist, lips going for her neck when her head fell back.

"What are you….?" She gasped as his teeth grazed the skin before he found and sucked at the sensitive spot where her neck met her shoulder.

"I want him to know that you're _mine_ ," He hissed in response. Usually, they were both forced to hold back and only marked each other in places that could be easily hidden or, in Akito's case, covered with a light layer of makeup, however, after the events of the night, there was a part of him that wanted everyone to know that Akito belonged to _him_. That she was claimed and no one else could touch her.

Though she was used to him sometimes taking charge and asserting dominance when they were intimate, this was…different for Akito. It wasn't simply him wanting to take charge. It was him wanting to _claim_ her. He was fueled by an irrepressible anger at not only the fact that another guy had touched her, but that he hadn't gotten a chance to defend her honour. This possessive side was something new and exciting and sent a sudden, sharp wave of arousal through her body.

"Tedachi…" She gasped, waiting until his eyes met hers and taking a minute to absorb and admire the raw, dark passion in them before declaring, "I'm yours. _Possess_ me."

He responded by taking a hand to her hair and pulling her in for a hard kiss, receiving little resistance as his tongue slid past her lips and met with hers while he silently coaxed her out of his lap and down onto one of the pillows.

* * *

' _Stupid Tedachi…Making my life difficult,'_ Akito thought as she triple-checked herself in the mirror the following morning, wanting to make sure her makeup was even with her skin tone. _'Okay…Maybe it's not all his fault. I didn't stop him, but…'_ She giggled to herself as her thoughts trailed off, memories of the previous night clouding any logical thought.

"Akito?" Tedachi asked from outside the door, gently rapping on it as he spoke and breaking through her thoughts.

"Give me a minute!" She snapped as she stood, soon moving from the vanity to the bed, untying and throwing aside her robe in favour of slipping on the black, professional dress and burgundy blazer she had laid out, smiling to herself as she secured a black, fashion belt with a butterfly buckle around her waist. _'Perfect…'_ She decided after another glance in the mirror, pushing a piece of hair out of her face before turning away from it to open the door, surprised that he was still standing there.

"Chiaki Kohinata called. He'll be here in a few minutes," Tedachi informed her.

"Good. Now…" She started, stopping when he set his hands on her shoulders, prompting her to look up at him with a raised eyebrow. "What?" She asked.

"You look _amazing_. The business look really works for you," He complimented, glancing down both sides of the hall before leaning down for a gentle kiss.

"Thank you," She said of the compliment and kiss as a light blush graced her cheeks.

' _You're too cute…'_ Tedachi thought, leaving her with a soft kiss on the head, smiling to himself as he headed down the stairs with the intention to continue his outside work, only to be pulled away by Minori as soon as he hit the bottom step and thrown into the group lined up to greet Chiaki Kohinata when he entered. However, he wasn't alone. Next to him stood his son, who had a rather noticeable, bruised ring around his right eye that Tedachi held back a laugh at. He couldn't help but wonder what sort of story he had made up to explain it, as no man in his right mind would admit to being that hurt by a _girl_. Especially one as small as Akito.

"Sorry about the wait," Akito said, cutting through his thoughts as she entered the main hall and dipped into a proper bow. "I was double-checking the paperwork. I'm Akito Sohma. It's nice to meet you."

"Chiaki Kohinata. I believe you already know my son, Masamune," Chiaki said, motioning toward the younger man.

"Yes. It's nice to see you again, Masamune," Akito greeted, her voice carrying a faint hint of warning that she dropped as she said, "Both of you can follow me." She then motioned them with her hand and led them down the hall. She was vaguely aware of Masamune's eyes on her, and had to fight the urge to tell him to "fuck off." From the moment she set foot in the main hall, he was discreetly checking her out, and it made her rather uncomfortable, especially following the previous night's events. However, she chose to ignore it for the time being, not wanting to make a bad impression on the man's father.

"Would you mind if I started with my presentation?" Chiaki asked after they had settled in one of the sitting rooms, each person taking a place at the table in the middle of the room with him at the head.

"Go right on ahead," Akito replied with a soft smile, figuring that this worked in her favour. Knowing his plans in advance would give her time to take notes and compare them to her own.

Chiaki nodded to her and then shot his son a knowing look that prompted him to present a few files that all three of them poured over, Akito and Chiaki going back and forth for an hour and a half with Masamune adding his own comments here and there. Surprisingly, he kept things professional and even apologised when he brushed her hand as they reached for the same piece of paper. By the time they had worked out most of the bigger details, Akito found herself being more than comfortable with the deal and told him that she would be happy to arrange a meeting with the head of the Sohma Company they were merging with since they met her approval.

"I'm happy to know we meet with your approval Miss Sohma," Chiaki said, shuffling papers around as he spoke.

"Please. Call me by my name. Things tend to get a little confusing around here when people don't."

"Very well then, Akito," He replied, not wanting to admit that saying it felt a bit weird, especially considering he was referring to a _woman_ that he had been doubtful of before. He had thought of her as too young to be well-versed in business, nonetheless be head of a prestigious family, but she had managed to stand her own ground, giving what information she had and asking the proper questions where applicable. He also silently admitted to being impressed with her clothing, which was more than appropriate for the situation, as, he half-expected a clueless female who cared more about fashion than professionalism.

She gave him a light smile, as she glanced up at the clock and took note of the time. "You know…It's almost lunchtime…Why don't you stay for a bit?" She offered.

"You really don't have to…"

"I _insist_ ," She pushed, thinking that it could a nice opportunity to get to know him informally and get a handle on his true character.

"Well…I guess there wouldn't be any harm in it."

"Great. I'll pass the message on to the kitchen. Feel free to explore the property a bit. But stay on the pathway and if you get lost, there's plenty of staff to help," Akito informed him as she slid open the door and then headed down the hallway.

"I think I'll take her up on that offer," Masamune said as he stood.

"Go ahead. I'm going to look over these notes a bit more," His father replied.

Masamune only smirked as he left the room and caught the attention of a few maids who diligently pointed him in the direction of the kitchen. Once he found the general area, he leaned against the wall near the door, waiting patiently as a familiar voice gave orders and then laughed at something the cook said before Akito emerged and headed down the opposite end of the hallway. He took careful note of her steps, waiting until she turned a corner before carefully and sneakily trailing after her, soon ducking into a room when she stopped, a devilish smile playing at his lips as he noticed the two doors and made his way to the other side of the wall.

' _What the…?'_ Akito thought, looking over her shoulder as the feeling she was being followed washed over her. She frowned when she didn't see anything and turned back around, gasping and dropping the papers in her hand when she came face-to-face with Masamune.

"Hey, Pretty," He sneered as he grabbed her wrist and whipped her around, smiling at the startled gasp she gave when her back hit the wall.

Before she could fully process what was happening, a shadow fell over her and both of Masamune's hands hit the wall as he forced a leg between hers to keep her from moving.

"What do you _want_?!" She spat.

" _You_ ," He taunted. "I thought I made that clear last night. But you…You had the _nerve_ to not only turn me down but to fucking _hit me_. Who exactly do you think you are, little girl?" He said with a scowl, moving in closer, using his weight to trap her further.

"Get _off_!" Akito hissed. Thinking quickly, she realised her hands were free and took them to his forearms, wrapping them around and making it a point to dig her nails in.

Masamune responded by taking his own hands to _her_ arms and after some struggle, forced them above her head to prevent her from even _attempting_ to fight back. There was no way in hell he was going to get hit by a girl, _again_. "I don't _think_ so." He said thickly, one of his hands dropping to her side while he used the other to hold her wrists together, his lips going for hers until she quickly turned her head one way and then the other when he tried again.

' _Fine…I don't_ _ **have**_ _to kiss you to fuck you,'_ He thought with a heavy frown that soon turned into a mischievous smirk before he ran his tongue along the side of her neck, making her shiver with disgust.

Akito wished desperately that she had some kind of escape option, but unfortunately for her, he was not only physically stronger than her, but smart enough to know exactly how to keep her trapped, practically crushing her with his weight, making it hard for her to breathe, nonetheless speak or scream. Panic washed over her as she tried to grapple with the terrifying realisation that she was completely at his mercy. It was followed by a sharp wave of disgust when his tongue met with the sensitive skin of her neck. The simple action combined with his dark, lustful eyes made her want to throw up. She felt even more disgusting than she did the previous night, especially when she caught the frown playing at his lips as he took his hand to her breast, and groped her through the layers of fabric.

"Kind of small…" He muttered. "But nothing money can't fix."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Akito couldn't help the twinge of disappointment in her stomach accompanied by the faintest of tears brimming at the edge of her eyes. She had never felt more un-sexy in her life. This man didn't want her for any other reason than her body, which he somehow had the nerve to criticise. She tried to say something – anything – but her mouth refused to follow the orders of her brain.

"I want you naked…" Masamune said in a deep, husky whisper, his voice right next to her ear as he trailed his fingers up and down her side.

' _No. No. No._ _ **NO**_ _!'_ Akito thought, biting her lip nervously as his fingers moved from her hip, to the belt at her waist. She quickly racked her brain for a solution, as, she didn't want this. Didn't want to have to bare it all for _him_. Especially against her will. The only person meant to have the privilege of undressing her was her boyfriend. The one who made her blush when he said just the right things and brushed his fingers against the right places. The one who…She would be betraying if she let Masamune do this. She quickly realised she had given up too easily, and that, despite his weight on her, she still had a voice. Filled with a sudden resolve, she opened her mouth, finally intending to scream or cry out, though what came out wasn't simply a high-pitched scream, but a name.

" _Tedachi_!" She screamed with what little breath she had, making her assailant cringe and then tighten his grip on her wrists, pressing so hard that she cringed as well, letting out a weak noise of pain that turned into a sob when he slapped her across the face.

" _Shut up_ ," He snapped. "I don't want to hear another peep out of you, _understand_?! This is what you get for…" He stopped, trailing off as something flew by him, just barely missing his face before crashing into a nearby door, shattering part of the framing and the paper. A sidelong glance to the left revealing the object to be a rather heavy book.

"The next one is going for your _head_!" Tedachi snapped, his narrowed eyes holding a dark, almost primal anger as he balanced an equally large book in his left hand, having forgotten to put it down when he scrambled out of the room that acted as a library, finding himself surprisingly grateful that Minori had forced him to trade tasks. If he had gone out grocery shopping like he was supposed to, who knows what could have happened. It took every ounce of his willpower to _not_ simply jump this guy and beat the shit out of him. He couldn't remember the last time he felt such raw, pure anger. All he knew at the moment was that his blood was boiling. The image of this… _man_ rendering not just a woman, but _his girlfriend_ utterly helpless with the intention to defile her, to do things that should only be done between _lovers_ , set off a strong, irrepressible rage he couldn't explain.

"And who are you?" Masamune taunted.

"Let the lady _go_. I won't tell you again," Tedachi replied, ignoring his pointless questions. He failed to understand why his identity was important given the situation.

"Are you looking for a _fight_?" The other man scoffed, finally, slowly removing his hands from Akito, though it took her a moment to realise that he was no longer on top of her. But, as soon as she did, her mind clouded over with rage. This man had wanted to force himself on her and would have succeeded if she hadn't been rescued…By another _man_. She had lost control of everything and had been overpowered simply because she was a weak. Because she was a girl and people thought it was okay to take advantage of her and she _hated_ it.

" _NO_!" She practically shouted as she took her first step away from the wall, startling both men. "If there's anyone you should be fighting…It's _me_!"

At that, she lunged at Masamune, closing her hands around his neck as she shoved _him_ into the wall.

' _What the…?'_ Tedachi thought, standing dumbfounded for a moment as he watched his girlfriend, who was _half_ Masamune's size, charge at him and press him into the wall with dark, murderous eyes, fingers pressing into the base of his throat. He knew she had a temper. Hell, he'd even been subject to it a few times. But this was on a level _far_ beyond any tantrum she had thrown. She didn't just want to hurt him, she wanted to _kill_ Masamune and was libel to if he didn't do something. "Akito, _NO_." He said when he finally processed the scene, quickly dropping the book and taking his arms to hers, grabbing both her wrist as he attempted to simultaneously loosen her hands _and_ pull her off of the man.

" _WHAT_ is going on here?!" Chiaki's voice rang through the hall as he and several maids rushed forward just as Tedachi managed to pull Akito off of the man's son, wrapping an arm around her waist and setting the other on her head while Masamune took his own hand to his throat, carefully running his fingers over the marks left by hers as he coughed and tried to catch his breath.

"Let me _go_!" She ordered of Tedachi, who only tightened his grip around her waist.

"Not until you _calm down_ ," He said firmly, part of him desperately wishing they were alone so he could turn her around and kiss her, as that usually seemed to distract her long enough to make her stop in the middle of whatever tirade she was on.

"The little _bitch_ tried to strangle me!" Masamune accused, shoving aside the maid who had rushed over to help him.

"Don't you _dare_ throw this on _me_!" Akito retorted, finally pushing her way out of her boyfriend's grasp. "You tried to _rape_ me!"

" _Miss Sohma_ ," Chiaki said in a harsh tone. "You cannot cry rape simply because…"

"But he _did_ ," Tedachi snapped. "He had her pinned up against the wall."

"I did no –" Masamune said.

"Yes, you _did_. I certainly didn't do _this_ to myself!" Akito quickly pulled up one of her sleeves to reveal the faint bruising on her wrist.

Chiaki threw his son a look, noting the way his face paled as he realised he was caught.

Thinking quickly, he said, "I didn't do anything she didn't want me to. The little whore said she likes it rough."

At that, Tedachi snapped, and before he realised what he was doing, he stepped forward and smacked Masamune across the face, grabbing him by the front of his shirt as the other man tried to regain his composure. "Don't you _EVER_ talk about her like that again. Do you _understand_?!" He demanded in a voice that was so harsh and authoritative that, if he hadn't been standing there, Akito would never have identified as his.

"Tedachi…" One of the girls warned, shooting him a look that made him loosen his grip and back away. "Sorry about that," She said, clearly lying through her teeth.

"I'm _not_ ," He muttered, earning an elbow in the side from his coworker.

"Just _STOP_!" Akito practically shouted. "Just…Forget about it. It's over. And as for _you_ ," She turned to Chiaki. "The deal is _off_."

"Wait, Akito!" Chiaki called, grabbing her wrist when she turned to leave. "You can't punish the whole company for the actions of _one_ person."

"I can when that person happens to next in line to head the company. If this is what you teach your _son_ , I don't want to know what you teach the people who work for you. Now, _let go_!" She said, violently elbowing him as soon as she finished. "And get the _fuck_ off my property!"

"But…"

" _Now_!" She ordered, before looking towards one of the maids. "They were supposed to stay for lunch and the cook already started the meal. Go tell him there's been a change of plans and to leave it in the staff room. _All_ of it."

"Yes Ma'am!" The girl replied, unable to hold back her excitement at the prospect of free, fresh food.

"But what about your…" One of the others started.

"Don't worry about me. I'm not hungry," Akito said as she turned and headed down the hall, following the corridors to her bedroom, where she made her way over to the vanity and sat, staring at herself in the mirror for a few moments, her thoughts reeling with the recent events as the anger started to subside and was replaced with a host of other emotions as she laid her head on her arms and finally started to cry.


	15. Vulnerability, Part 2

_**Vulnerability, Part 2**_

 _ **A/N:**_ _And so, this is goodbye to anyone who's made it this far. There was supposed to be so much more to this story. There's a Christmas chapter, a lake house chapter, a cliché_ _ **Valentine's**_ _chapter…And more that will never get to be viewed and that devastates me. I don't want to do this. But I have to. Because I feel like the fandom truly doesn't care about me or this story. It's also recently been brought to my attention that...maybe this story wasn't as good as I thought and it's better for me to quit. I'm sorry I've wasted your time with this rubbish.  
_

 _To those of you who actually cared: Thank you for reading. I'm sorry you have to suffer the loss of this story, but, what else can I do? Especially when everyone else here has made it clear that neither me, nor my story belong here._

* * *

"Akito?" Minori asked a bit later, entering one of the sitting rooms with a platter of food, eyes full of sympathy as she watched Akito stare out at the rain that had just started falling, covered with one of her old, plain yukatas. Upon returning from her shopping errand, Tedachi had pulled her aside and told her what had happened, which filled her with the urge to see how her friend was doing.

Akito didn't respond, only gave a half-hearted sigh as she shifted on the window seat.

Minori set the tray down on the table. "Tedachi told me what happened. Are you okay?" She said, frowning when she didn't receive a response. "Do you…Want to talk about it?"

"Go _away_ ," Akito finally ordered, pulling her knees to her chest and frowning at the evenly-layered, violet polish on her toes, thinking it far too pretty for someone so worthless.

"The others said you didn't eat, so I brought food," Minori offered, ignoring the request.

"What part of 'go _away_ ' do you not understand?!" Akito snapped.

"But, I…"

" _Leave_."

Figuring it was best to do as she was told, Minori gave a polite bow and quickly made herself scarce, a sense of worry coursing through her veins as she padded down the hall and gasped when she smacked into something.

"Sorry," Tedachi said, holding his hand out to help her up. "I should have been looking where I was going."

"It's fine," Minori said with a dull shrug.

"Something wrong?"

"It's Akito. She's…Well…She's scaring me. She's fallen back into old habits. She refuses to eat and according to the others, she's been lying around most of the day."

"She probably just needs time to…"

"Will you talk to her?" Minori interrupted. "Please?"

"I guess I could see how she's doing…" Tedachi mused aloud, giving Minori a soft smile when he caught her pleased expression.

"Thank you," She said with a sigh of relief as he walked off.

' _What am I going to tell her?'_ He thought, racking his brain for an answer as he stopped in front of the door. ' _I guess…I'll have to figure it out…'_ He decided, taking in a breath as he reached for and carefully slid the door open. "Akito?" He asked.

She didn't respond, only turned her head toward the window, pretending to be interested in the rain.

"How are you feeling?" He asked carefully. "Minori said…"

"Minori is an _idiot_ who can't mind her own damn business," Akito snapped.

"Akito…" He sighed as he shook his head. At first, he thought to retort, but decided against it, knowing that she didn't really mean it. It was simply misdirected rage combined with emotional distress. He then thought for a minute before crossing the room, kneeling by the window seat and gently placing a hand over hers.

"Don't touch me," She ordered, abruptly pulling her hand away without bothering to give him even a fleeting glance. She knew if she did, she'd see the same sympathy Minori and everyone else had in their eyes and she didn't want it. She didn't need it. Especially from Tedachi. What she really wanted was for everyone to leave her alone. She felt completely worthless. She had been overpowered…by a _man_. A man who had wanted to defile her and claim her as his own simply to assert _his_ power. Power that was worth far more than hers. For all her money and status and the time spent getting her life under control after years of emotional distress and damage, she was useless. Nothing but a weak woman pretending to have a place in a man's world. They hadn't taken her seriously since she revealed the truth and had ceased inviting her to true business dinners and gatherings. Instead, they'd decided that her place would be better served at the side of one of their sons. All because she was a woman.

Tedachi didn't reply. He simply stood and moved to sit opposite her. Even with her standoffish attitude, he could tell she was hurt. The reflection of her eyes in the window told him all he needed to know and he wanted nothing more than to grab her. To wrap his arms around her and tell her he loved her, and that it was okay to be hurt. That he'd never look down on her for what happened. But, he forced himself to hold back and simply reached forward, intending to brush a piece of hair behind her ear, knowing that he had to be gentle and patient.

Akito smacked his hand away with a scowl. His presence was aggravating her. She didn't want him there, offering her comfort. She wanted to figure it out on her own. _Had_ to figure it out on her own. If she gave in to her emotions and cried to him, she would be even more disgusted with herself for seeking the comfort and touch of a _man_. It would mean she needed one to solve her problems. It was bad enough that she had to be rescued by him.

"Get out," She finally said.

"What?"

"You _heard_ me!"

"But, Akito…I…"

"Leave! Go _home_. You're done for the day."

"You can't…"

"Why can't you just _fuck off_?!" She ordered, screaming the last part as she stood and crossed the room.

"Fine. I'll go, but…"

"Why are you still talking?"

At that he left. Part of him wanted to be angry, but the other part couldn't be mad at her. Not when she was such an emotional mess.

"Well?" Minori asked, meeting him halfway down the hall.

"She told me to fuck off and go home."

"Are you serious? And you're just going to let her talk to you like that?"

"I have to in this case. If she was in a better frame of mind, I would have said something, but her emotions are all over the place….You can see it in her eyes. I don't think she knows how to feel or what to do with herself right now," Tedachi explained before quietly making his way outside, pacing the path as he contemplated his options, soon pulling out his mobile and dialing.

"Hi!" Shima chirped when she answered, balancing her own phone between her shoulder and her ear as she tapped at her keyboard.

"Shima? It's…"

"Tedachi? You never call me. Like, ever. Unless you're…Are we setting up another fancy date? Because…"

" _No_. I actually called to ask if I could come over. I have some things I'd like to speak to you about that I can't risk talking about here."

"Um…Sure. I guess. But aren't you working today?"

"Akito threw me out."

"What did you do?"

"Nothing. I'll explain when I get there."

"Alright. See you soon," Shima said, flipping her mobile closed and then setting it down with a frown. She then sat back a moment, tapping her fingers on the desk as she tried to figure out what he could want. She figured it had to be important if it was to be discussed in private and briefly toyed with the idea that he was going to talk to her about _breaking up_ with Akito, but soon decided against it. If he wanted to leave her, the last person he'd be talking to was her best friend. She then let out a sigh and turned back to her writing, resolving to simply wait until he arrived and then looking up at the sound of the doorbell a half hour later.

"Oh…It's you." Shigure said when he answered the door.

"Ta'Chi!" Seiya answered from her place in his arms.

"Hi there, Seiya," Tedachi greeted, gently ruffling her hair. "What are you doing here?"

"Unca 'Gure!" She replied, setting a hand on Shigure's face.

"I couldn't figure out the ending of my latest book, so I went to fetch a distraction," Shigure replied. "Now, what are _you_ doing here?"

"He's here to see me, Nii-San," Shima answered as she came up behind her brother. "Come on." She gestured for Tedachi to follow her as Seiya and Shigure exchanged a look before he shrugged and carried her off while Tedachi followed his sister up the stairs to her room.

"So…What exactly is going on?"

"It's a bit of a story," He said as they sat at her table.

"Like that's going to bother me."

"Alright," He sighed and then took in a breath before relaying the details of the previous night and what he had witnessed earlier that day, watching as her face went from eager to serious.

"Please…tell me you're making this up…" She said when he finished.

Tedachi shook his head. "I wish I was."  
"Oh, wow. How's she doing with all of this?"

"She's angry and upset and a whole bunch of other emotions I can't place. She's spent most of the day moping around in a man's yukata and she refuses to eat. Minori tried talking to her, but she threw her out of the room. And when I tried, she told me to fuck off and go home."  
"Wait…She told _you_ to 'fuck off?'"

He nodded.

"She _must_ be hurting pretty badly. I can't see any other reason why she'd talk to _you_ like that. She loves you too much to hurt you that way."

"I don't think she realises that I'm also hurt by her pain. I honestly don't know what to do, Shima. She won't talk to me…Won't let me touch her and…Ugh. I don't even know why it bothers me!"

"Because you love her. You don't like seeing her hurt, but you're lost because she doesn't want your help…yet."

"What do you mean 'yet?'"

Shima sighed. "I mean that she'll come to you when she's ready. You just have to give her some time. Eventually she'll figure out that moping around isn't going to get her anywhere. It never has. Just don't push her. Go about your day like normal. If she doesn't want to eat, or if really wants to go back to wearing those god-awful robes, let her. I know this is probably strange for you because you come from a family that's used to talking things out and seeking comfort, but Akito doesn't. And this is probably scary territory for her."

He raised an eyebrow, head tilted in curiosity.

"You have to think like a girl," Shima instructed. "Picture it this way. You're a woman with a thin frame who only stands at 162.5 centimetres who was attacked and in danger of being raped by someone twice your size, who has both physical strength and smarts to keep you trapped. I don't think you'd want to trust men after that, nonetheless seek comfort from them."  
"I…guess not."

"Plus, her pride is probably hurt. In case you haven't noticed, Akito is very insecure about her position. She tries so hard to establish herself as worthy among the heads of these elite families, but they just brush her aside. They don't believe a woman can handle the kind of position she's been given, and no matter how hard she tries, they always manage to make her feel insignificant. And now that she's been overpowered by one of them…"

"She thinks she's useless."

"Probably," Shima shrugged and he simply nodded before thanking her for her time and leaving. As soon as he was gone, she grabbed her handbag and shoes and rushed out without another word, letting her instinct carry her to the main estate, where, she entered Akito's house without warning, barely remembering to take her shoes off before rushing down the hall and throwing open the door to Akito's old sitting room.

Akito's head shot up at the sound of the door opening, barely able to process anything before a hard wave of warmth crashed over her, sending a brief shot of terror through her. But then there was the familiar scent of Shima, and the feeling of gentle fingers running over her hair.

"Tedachi called me," She admitted in a whisper, holding back a cringe when her best friend's nails dug into her arms.

Akito wanted to shove her away, to tell her to leave just like all the others, but soon found that she couldn't and admitted to herself that she _needed_ Shima there. She needed the familiar warmth and touch of a person she knew would never judge or betray her. Someone who wasn't just a nosy maid trying to get on her good side. Even though she felt ashamed for doing so, she slowly loosened her grip as she buried her head in the crook of the other woman's shoulder and started to cry, relaying the story and her feelings in bits and pieces while Shima listened in silence, knowing that her words weren't needed.

* * *

The next two days passed in a blur for both Akito and Tedachi. The latter trying his best to stay out of the way and work around the fuss Akito had created. All around him, people were talking in whispered tones, and likely spreading rumours. He never stuck around long enough to find out, not wanting to cause more trouble. Instead, he hung back and learned to be grateful for the early shift he had been given that second day, as it was typically quieter in the mornings. However, he soon found the silence shattered when, while heading upstairs to look at one of the fixtures in the guest room, he heard Minori's voice.

"Come _on_ ," She whined to Akito, who stood facing out the window, arms crossed over her chest. "It's a very pretty dress," She urged, holding up the layered, blue and white sundress that Ayame had dropped off the previous day as a late birthday present with apologies for missing Akito's birthday in July due to summer wedding orders.

"I said, 'no.'" Akito declared firmly with a scowl. She couldn't admit that she _did_ think it was a nice dress or that she really did want to wear it. Girls like her didn't deserve to wear pretty dresses like that.

" _Akito_ ," Minori stamped her foot. "You can't keep wearing that forever. Besides, I think it would…"

"Shut up and _get out_."

"But…"

" _Now_ ," Akito ordered as she stomped over and shoved Minori towards the door, slamming it closed once she was on the other side and leaving the poor maid dumbfounded.

"What was that about?" Tedachi asked.

"All I did was suggest she wear her new dress and she went off on me," Minori explained, watching as Tedachi reached for the fabric in her hands and held the garment out, unable to hold back a smile as he thought about Akito wearing the dress. The dark navy colour had always suited her, and the white sash, straps and underskirt gave it a cute but classy look.

"Cute," He commented.

"Too bad she doesn't think so."

He sighed. "Just leave her alone."

"But it's been _two_ days! Shouldn't she be over it by now?! She's scaring me, Tedachi! She barely eats and when she does it's only because Shima makes her. She won't talk to anyone unless she's screaming at them and she's fielded several of Chiaki Kohinata's attempts to apologise. After the third call, she unplugged the phone and threw it across the room."

"You need to give her some time. She'll come around when she's ready. You've been here long enough to know that."

"I know but…"

"Minori, _stop_ ," He snapped. "You don't think this bothers me too?! I _hate_ seeing her like this. It hurt me to know that she's pained and I can't do anything about it. Do you know how hard it is for me to _not_ simply grab her and hold her until she feels better? But, she won't let me near her! I…" He trailed off as she threw her arms around him.

"I'm sorry. I just…I don't know what to do either! I'm not used to not being able to make her smile."

"It's fine," He soothed, setting a gentle hand on her head. "Like I said, as much as it hurts, we need to let her come around on her own. Unless she puts herself in harm's way, the best we can do is just be there when she decides she needs us."

"Okay…" Minori nodded before slowly stepping away. "I guess that means I should get back to work then…And I'll take care of that," She said, taking the dress from him. "I think we still have the box Ayame sent it in. I'll put it in her room later."

He gave her a nod of his own in response before turning back down the hallway and going about his day as normally as he could with part of his mind still hung up on and worried about Akito, who, as Minori said, didn't speak to anyone. In fact, it was almost as if she didn't exist. Instead of wandering the house and moving between rooms and the garden as she usually did, she stayed hidden and locked herself up in her bedroom. By the time he left that afternoon, he realised that he hadn't seen even a glimpse of her all day. He then quickly forced the thought out of his mind as he headed off, completely unaware of the dark, sad eyes watching him from above.

Akito gave a small sigh as she turned away from the window and leaned against the wall. She didn't even know why she thought it a good idea to watch him leave. Especially when she wanted him to stay. Wanted to cling to him and cry out all her bottled up emotions, but every time she thought about it, she stopped and convinced herself that all she needed was more time. She couldn't let him know how she was feeling. Then he'd pity her. Just like _they_ did. The poor, unmarried heiress who had lost control and been overpowered by a man. The worst part was that, he didn't seem sorry and neither did his father. Though Chiaki called _three_ times to try and set up a dinner to apologise, she hadn't heard any sort of sincerity in his voice. It was just business as usual. He only wanted to make sure she would keep her mouth shut about the whole situation, and when confirmed, he'd probably offer up fake apologies and try and suggest her and Masamune go on another date to 'make up.' The thought aggravated her, as did everything else lately. With a distinct frown, she realised she was sick of being annoyed and decided to take a nap, hoping that it might make her feel a little better, or at the very least, give her an escape from things for awhile. Unfortunately, she found her dreams to be even more stressful than her real-life thoughts.

* * *

 _Things were blurry as Akito became aware of her surroundings, the soft candlelight just barely helping as she made out her own reflection in the mirror sitting over the dresser across from the rather large canopy bed she was lying on._

" _So, you're awake…" A voice purred as a shadowy figure rose from a chair on the left side of the room. Then, before she knew what was happening, there was a harsh, warm weight above her as hands intertwined with hers, pressing her back into satin sheets. The whole thing could have been construed as romantic, if it wasn't for the fact that it wasn't her boyfriend above her, but a lustful Masamune Kohinata._

" _What did you_ _ **do**_ _to me?!" She snapped, suddenly very much aware of the way her minimal curves were highlighted in her cocktail dress._

" _You shouldn't have had that second glass of wine," He replied, forcing her arms above her head._

" _You drugged me!"_

" _That's quite an accusation there, Miss Akito," He sneered as he leaned down, took his lips to her neck, making her shiver with both fear_ _ **and**_ _disgust. "Especially considering I could have done worse. I thought about taking you while you were incapacitated but then I realised…where's the fun in that? You can't very well enjoy it if you're not awake."_

 _The moment he finished speaking, his free hand slipped under the hem of her dress, his eyes barely containing his raw lust as his fingers brushed against one of the ribbons at her hip._

 _The touch managed to snap her out of her fear for a moment, dark, angry eyes meeting his as she said. "No. I…I don't want this! I don't want you!"_

 _He paused, contemplating his choices for a moment before slowly moving off of her and making his way toward the dresser as she found the strength to sit up. Part of her thought to run, but the other part was curious as to what he had in mind as he rifled through a drawer._

" _Very well then," He said coolly, his voice soon turning dark. "If I can't have you…Then no one will."_

 _She barely had time to register the flash of silver before she was scrambling up, cursing as she slipped on satin, just barely making it out of his reach as her feet hit the floor, nothing but pure terror coursing through her. Through it, she managed to make out and find her way to the western-style door on the opposite side of the room, gasping when a frantic pull at the handle told her it was locked. She then thought to go for the other door, but knew she'd never make it as his steps got louder, closer. Finally, she was forced to reconcile herself with her fate as she slid to the floor, nails scratching at the wood as she gave in and began to cry. She was stuck. Completely and utterly trapped and helpless. And why? Because she had let her pride get in the way. She hadn't given into the help offered to her when he called asking her out to apologise. The only thing she didn't quite understand is why she had chose to wear_ _ **that**_ _dress…But was quick to push the thought away in favour of thinking of her family. Memories flashing through her mind as he finally stopped, the weapon shining in the candlelight, ready to make the final blow._

 _However, it never came. Instead, she heard the distinct crack of wood on the other side of the door, the sound distracting Masamune enough to make him stop and turn just as two gunshots were fired. The moment he dropped to the floor, Akito forced herself to look up, mind refusing to process the scene as she stared straight into the barrel of a gun, following the length of the shooter's arm and gasping when she saw a familiar pair of dark eyes as Tedachi threw the weapon aside and stepped over to her._

" _Come on," He said, offering a hand. "Let's go home."_

 _Akito simply sat, her thoughts reeling as she tried to come to terms with what had just happened, part of her refusing to believe that Tedachi – her sweet, gentle Tedachi – had actually killed a man for her. He'd gone out of his way to save her, put his own life in danger…Not because he was a 'strong man' or because he thought she couldn't handle herself, but because he couldn't bear the thought of living without her, or at the very least, watching this…_ _ **monster**_ _defile and destroy everything she was. She wanted to be mad at her loss of control, but could only find herself grateful that he had been there as he gently picked her up off the ground like a child and cradled her in his arms, the familiar warmth comforting her as she started to cry all over again with both relief and emotion._

* * *

Akito woke with a start, hands fisted in her butterfly blanket as she sat up and frantically checked her surroundings, breath steadying when she realised that she was in her own bed. She then let out a sigh of relief, her thoughts running in several different directions. Though most of them were confusing, and didn't make much sense, there was one thing that stuck out in her mind. Tedachi and how he had not only saved her in her dream, but two days before, in an act that wasn't meant to showcase power or prove that she was weak, but to protect her from a vicious attack by someone who had no regard for her as a person. An attack wasn't meant to reflect on her at all, but Masamune Kohinata and his own immoral values.

With that thought in mind, she threw the blanket aside and rushed to make herself at least halfway presentable the same moment Tedachi stood in front of his fridge, contemplating dinner ingredients. He honestly wasn't in the mood to cook, but knew that he couldn't stomach any more convenience store meals, having eaten way too many of them lately due to his sour mood. Eventually, he decided to go ahead and make a full, multi-course meal, figuring that he could save and eat the leftovers for lunch for a few days. However, the whole process was halfhearted and he found himself grateful for the distraction that came in the form of a soft knock at the door shortly before he finished.

"Hold on," He called, quickly transferring a frying pan to the counter and then shutting off the cooker before rushing to open the door, eyes widening at what he found. "Akito?" He asked as she looked up at him, holding his gaze for a few minutes before her eyes dropped and she threw herself at him with a soft sob, burying her head in his chest, hands clinging to the fabric of his shirt as she let her emotions overwhelm her.

"I'm sorry…" She managed to gasp out between sobs.

"For what?" He asked gently, setting a hand on her head as she mumbled something incoherent before giving up on words and letting out a loud sob as his other hand ran up and down her back and he suddenly became aware that she was not only _dressed_ , but was wearing her _new_ _dress._

"Akito?" He asked carefully, prompting her to look up at him, his heart almost breaking when he caught the pure emotional distress in her eyes as he took one of her hands and silently led her in, the food forgotten for the moment. He took a seat on the sofa and gestured for her to join him, letting her climb up and lay on him as a fresh set of tears pricked in her eyes.

"I'm sorry…I'm _so_ sorry," She said again. "I…I shouldn't have been so mean to you when all you wanted to do was help. But…I…I just…"

"It's alright," He soothed, gently running his hand over her hair.

"No it's not! You didn't deserve that! I just didn't want to admit that…I wanted your help. I didn't want to be caught reaching out to a _man_."

"Because of what he did to you?"

"No…Because I didn't want to need one to solve all my problems. I didn't want to be one of those weak women that runs to her man whenever something goes wrong."

"But…You're not weak. You're a strong, independent woman. It's one of the things I love about you. You can hold your own ground."

"If that's true, then why couldn't I save myself?! I felt so helpless being trapped there with him…It was worse than the night before! He looked at me like a _conquest_. He wanted to claim me for revenge…There was nothing but this horrible, feral lust in his eyes. He didn't care about me as a person…he just wanted my body. It made me feel dirty and disgusting and…" She trailed off gripping his shirt as she let out a soft whimper in an attempt to hold back a hard sob.

"But you're none of those things. You're gorgeous and sexy and worth far more than just your body. You're intelligent and more versed in business than people give you credit for. And as for why you couldn't escape…Well…Sometimes people get put in situations that they need some help to get out of. Women are always told, 'just defend yourself or run, run as fast as you can.' But what those people giving advice don't realise is that sometimes things happen so fast that you barely have time to remember you have hands, nonetheless defend yourself."

"How do you know?! You're not a woman!"

"No. But I have an older sister and a mother and a girlfriend who keep me well-informed."

"It made me feel so _useless_. I'm supposed to be the head of this elite family. Someone who's meant to be looked up to and revered and…I couldn't even…"

"Stop," He ordered. "Being head of the family doesn't mean you're not human. You still have feelings, don't you? When you fall down, you get hurt. When you're upset or angry, you cry. When we make love, you put your feelings into it. No one said you had to be strong _all_ the time. You're still a person, Akito. You're allowed to feel weak and ask for help. In fact, I think you're strong _because_ you screamed for me when you _knew_ you were stuck. That takes a lot, you know. A lot of people forget how to even speak in those situations. They become overwhelmed with fear and worry more about retaliation from their attackers."

"I had this dream when I took a nap earlier…And I started to see that…Maybe what he did…wasn't a reflection on me at all."

"It wasn't," Tedachi assured. "It was a reflection on _him_ and his own twisted values."

"I know that now…"

"You also know that I love you, right? I never once thought less of you because of what happened. I know you hate being pitied…But I couldn't help it. It hurt me to see you so pained. You don't know how badly I've wanted to hold you like this these past few days."

"Why didn't you?"

"I didn't want to scare you. You made it clear that you didn't want to see me, let alone touch me. So, I backed off. Shima told me to wait until you were ready to talk on your own, so I did."

"Sometimes I feel like I don't deserve you," Akito admitted.

He gave her a small smile and carefully ran a hand over her back, unsure of how to respond. A comfortable silence fell around them for a little bit, until a sudden realisation hit him and he asked, "When was the last time you ate?"

"I…I forgot. I think I ate maybe…a third of my breakfast?"

"Why don't you stay for dinner then? I was finishing up when you arrived."

"I guess…I could."

"Just let me heat the food up, and I'll get you something," He offered, frowning when she didn't take the hint. "That means you have to move," He teased.

She gave a dull groan and forced herself up, moving to take off her shoes when she realised she was still wearing them as he stood and stretched, stopping after he took the first step at the feeling of a weight on his shirt. He glanced over his shoulder, giving a soft smile when he found her holding on to the tail end of it, eyes cast toward the ground. Since it didn't really bother him, he simply walked off toward the kitchen with her at his heels, pausing to move one of the pans off the counter before turning and setting his hands on her waist, startling her for a moment as he lifted and then moved to set her on the counter.

"You can sit there," He teased, turning back to the cooker as she watched him intently, taking note of every step he made as he moved around the kitchen with ease. He seemed completely in control as he re-heated and finished off dishes, vaguely aware of her eyes on him.

"This is new," She commented as he carefully poured sauce over the fish course.

"No it's not," He replied. "I've cooked for you before."

"But I…"

"You've never _seen_ me cook, have you?" He asked as realisation washed over him, smiling when she shook her head. "Here, taste," He offered, holding the soup spoon out to her and watching as she hesitantly accepted it, eyes widening in surprise as the spices hit her before she quickly glanced away, hoping he wouldn't be offended.

"I guess it's too spicy for you…I'll see if I can throw together something milder."

"You don't have to do that," Akito retorted.

"It won't take long, I promise," Tedachi assured her, leaning in to kiss her forehead, his own eyes widening when, at the last minute, she tilted her head up, meeting his lips with her own. The kiss was soft, almost chaste, and he barely had time to respond before she was pulling away, a heavy blush forming on her cheeks.

"Sorry…" She murmured.

He replied by gripping her shoulders and pulling her back to him for a harder, deeper kiss that she eagerly reciprocated as his hand moved from her shoulders to her hair, tangling in the short, dark locks as her hands settled on his chest. It was the first time they had kissed in three days and they both reveled in it. However, when they broke apart, he found himself hastily apologising.

"What are you sorry for?" She asked, her head tilted in curiosity.

"I shouldn't have been so forward with you. You're still…"

"Tedachi," She said, placing a finger on his lips. "It's fine. I _liked_ it. If I was uncomfortable, I would have said so."

He gave her a relieved smile and turned back to the food, taking his time in finishing and plating it, carefully balancing the two serving trays as she slid off the counter and followed with their drinks in hand.

"Just eat what you can," He instructed as she sat, not wanting to push her into anything despite being worried about her recent lack of eating.

She didn't respond. She simply glanced over the food in front of her, realising that, for the first time in days, the sight of it didn't leave her horribly nauseated. She felt a slight pang in her heart and stomach, but refused to let a brief bout of queasiness claim her as, that would mean she was still letting a part of _him_ control her. She then let out a breath as she finally, daintily picked up her first piece of fish, eyes widening once the taste hit her.

"What's wrong?" Tedachi asked carefully.

"It…actually has a taste. Everything I've been forced to eat these past few days either didn't have any flavour or was just disgusting. But this…is different," She explained, eagerly reaching for more, eventually frowning at her second empty rice bowl and holding it out to him with an annoyed huff. " _More_ ," She demanded.

"More of what? You've already eaten two bowls. Where are you putting it all, anyway?"

"I've barely eaten in three days, remember?!"

He simply sighed and pushed the last of his rice across the table, deciding to just be grateful that she was eating and eating well, as it meant she was slowly but steadily healing. He then gave a small smile when she finished off the last of her food, the faintest of blushes creeping up on her face when he handed her a napkin to wipe her face with.

"I'm glad you liked it," He teased as he collected the dishes, raising an eyebrow when she carefully took half of them herself. "You don't have to help me. It's _my_ flat."

"But…I should. I did come over unannounced and you were kind enough to offer me dinner."

"Akito, I'm your boyfriend. I'm _supposed_ to be here to help when you're upset. But, since you're stubborn and won't give up, you can help dry them. Alright?"

"Okay," She agreed and did as she was told, carefully setting aside each dish as she finished and letting him guide her into putting them away, frowning when she realised that he kept a good handful of the bowls on the top shelf in one of the cupboards.

"Here," He laughed, carefully setting his hands on her waist to give her a boost, waiting until the dishes hit the shelf and then gently setting her on her feet while declaring, "There. Now that that's out of the way, we can do something fun. I think I have a few films somewhere."

"You think?"

"You know I'm not really a television and film person. I prefer video games," He said with a shrug.

"It's fine. I like books."

"I know. But, I'll see what I can dig up."

Akito thought to refuse and offer to leave, not wanting to stay too long, but was quick to change her mind. Watching some mundane movie meant she'd have something to focus on that wasn't her own thoughts. She also wasn't one to shy away from an excuse to curl up and cuddle. She had always felt safe in Tedachi's arms, even before they became a couple. When she caught a bad flu bug in February, he had not only caught her n the kitchen before she hit the floor mid-faint, but had taken it upon himself to carry her up to bed, pick out and hand over pyjamas, _and_ make her soup, staying to converse with her while she ate and then staying with her throughout the week as he spent his time soothing her, cooking for her, and making sure she was comfortable and cared for. Hell, he'd even sat with her on the bathroom floor, whispering soft reassurances and rubbing her back while she dealt with throwing up and crying and crying _while_ throwing up. Then, when she accidently nicked her finger while helping Shima make flower arrangement samples in April, he was the one who took care of her, kissing the back of her hand and making her blush when he finished, earning himself a smack upside the head and a warning for disrespecting her, both of them holding back their suppressed feelings. And now, after having had to grapple with the idea of nearly being raped and disgraced at the hands of a selfish man whose attack only served to make her realise just how useless and disrespected she was among the elites she was forced to work with, she found a welcome, familiar warmth in her boyfriend's arms. The arms of a man who respected and appreciated her as a _person_ and would never conceive of hurting her that way. She felt completely at ease for the first time in days as his arm wrapped around her protectively while she settled her head on his chest and attempted to focus on the story of the anime film he had put on, but she soon grew bored with it and ended up dozing off halfway through, only to be jostled awake when it ended.

"Sleepy Akito," Tedachi teased, running his hand up her back.

"Shut _up_ ," She whined, sleepily rubbing her eyes.

"But you're cute when you're sleepy," He said, laughing at her glare. "It's getting late, why don't you stay here tonight?"

"I _couldn't_ …I…I mean…" She stuttered, trying her hardest to form a decent protest. She wasn't sure _why_ she didn't want to stay considering she'd slept over several times.

"Please? I promise I won't try anything. I just don't want you being out this late. It's not safe."

" _Fine_ ," She agreed with a reluctant sigh, holding in another one a bit later as he handed her a set of pyjamas and left her to get changed in the bathroom. However, midway through adjusting the buttons on her top, she stopped, her eyes catching the faintest hint of purple before she turned to find her robe thrown over the towel rack alongside his, a small smile playing at her lips as the idea hit her. He said that he wouldn't try anything…But, he didn't say anything about her doing so.

* * *

' _How come every time I leave her alone it takes her forever to change?'_ Tedachi thought, his eyes absentmindedly roaming the ceiling as he leaned against his pillows. Though it couldn't have been more than a few minutes, it felt like hours until he finally heard the soft footsteps approaching the door. _'Finally…'_ He let out a small, relieved sigh and went to say something, but when he looked up, his mind went blank.

"Tedachi…" Akito purred, using the door post to support herself, holding back a laugh as she watched his wide eyes roam over her body.

"Akito…What…Is this?"

She didn't respond, only crossed the room and crawled up on the bed, thoroughly enjoying the way his expression flickered between confusion and arousal as her hands settled on either side of him, putting her on all fours directly above him, her knees on either side of his hips, holding him in place.

His eyes quickly glanced from hers down to the slightly-parted neckline of her robe, eyebrow rising when he made out the bare, inner curves of her breasts. "Are you wearing anything under that?" He asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" She teased seductively.

"Actually…I'm not sure about that," He admitted, earning a frown in response. "I mean…I don't want to push you into anything. And, if you're only doing this because you think…"

"Tedachi?" She said, prompting him to look up at her. "Shut _up_."

His lips parted, as if to say something, but she didn't give him the chance. Before he could fully process what was happening, her mouth was pressed firmly against his, her tongue sliding over his as he instinctively brought his hands up, one settling on her neck in an attempt to pull her closer.

At the feel of his hand on her neck, Akito stopped, abruptly pulled away and grabbed his hand, practically throwing it down and reveling in his shocked expression. "No." She said flatly, leaning down to kiss him again, giving him no chance to react or take control as her fingers laced with his and she pressed his hands into the sheets. "Don't you _dare_ touch me until I _say_ so," She ordered with narrowed eyes that held an almost feral lust that sent a sudden, sharp wave of arousal through his body.

He was used to Akito taking charge in bed. In fact, dominance was something they often fought for, but _this_ was different. She wasn't simply attempting to asset her dominance; she was _taking it_ , forcefully. Everything about her, from her stance to her commanding gaze told him that _she_ was in charge and was not taking "no" for an answer. With that in mind, _all_ of his previous reservations faded away and he turned his full attention to her as she carefully sat up and let go of his hands, taking a second to make sure he was going to stay before bringing her own hands up to slowly pull at her sash, giving him a seductive smirk as she carefully slipped the satin off her shoulders and locked eyes with him, relishing in the raw passion that dwelt beyond the dark irises. It was close to the look that Masamune Kohinata had given her at the dinner table, except, instead of disgusting her, it made her shiver with desire. She knew that behind the lust was a deep-seeded affection that made her feel beautiful and wanted. She watched carefully as those eyes followed the curves of her body as she gently, slowly, slid the robe all the way off, threw it aside and then took her hands back to his as she leaned over.

"I _want_ you," She whispered, her voice right next to his ear. She placed a soft kiss directly below it, and carefully, almost tortuously moved downward, her lips making a hot trail along his jaw, teeth scraping against his neck before she nipped and then sucked hard at his pulse point, earning a long groan in response. The sound came from deep in his chest and was hard, strong and utterly masculine. It was the exact opposite of the soft, girlish gasp that came from her own mouth when she shifted slightly and felt him brush against her thigh.

She carefully removed one of her hands, shooting him a look of warning before continuing with her ministrations, her tongue running up the side of his neck while her hand slid over his bare chest, nails gently scraping against flesh as deft fingers moved lower, past the waistband of his pyjama bottoms, descending into an intense, throbbing heat. She felt her breath quicken as her fingers gently brushed over the length of him, firm and swollen from _her_ touch. Though she had felt him several times before, she shivered at how thick he was, giving a soft moan when she thought about how it would feel when he was buried deep inside of her, brushing against those places that made her cry out.

" _Akito_ ," He groaned as her hand closed around him and then slowly, sensually ran up and down his length. His next moan was cut off by her lips when she came back up to focus on his mouth, practically assaulting his lips with hers as her tongue slid over and fought with his in a slick battle for dominance that she let him win. That small semblance of power being nothing compared to the hold she had on him. She could see the control melting from his darkened eyes with every passing second, every small touch breaking him just a bit more.

She waited until she was sure he'd given up on fighting, until his eyes told her he was completely at her mercy and his moans had taken the form of her name before she released him, bringing her slick hand up to her lips and carefully licking her fingers clean, relishing in his wide-eyed gaze and giving a soft laugh before reaching for his hands again and forcing them above his head in blatant mimicry of the position she was forced into a few days ago.

She followed the length of his arms as she shifted, her body moving over his. She gently kissed the palms of his hands, his breath fanning over her stomach, moist and warm, not unlike the flesh between her thighs. The sensation brought a soft moan from her lips as she ran her tongue down, over the inside of him arm, breath catching when he lifted his head to lick her nipple as she moved down his body. The wet touch drew a small shiver from her before shook it off, and pulled back to glare down at him, promptly smacking him across the face.

"What did I tell you about touching me?" She said, her voice and eyes dark and commanding, a stark contrast to his, which, though darkened with passion, were gentle and submissive. "Now, _behave_ ," She commanded, her teeth sinking into his neck as she carefully removed her hand from his wrist, bringing it down to join the other in removing the only layer he was wearing. Once it was taken care of, her fingers were curling around his wrists again as she hovered above him, giving a soft gasp when she felt the tip of him brush her entrance, however, she refused to give in so quickly, a smirk playing at her lips as she pushed back against him, taking her time in teasing him before she couldn't take it any more and finally, slowly, slid down onto him. She moaned, feeling the thickness of him filling her, a familiar, but more than welcome sensation, especially since she held the dominant hand. It was _she_ who chose to accept him, to relax or tighten around him, moving muscles only her body possessed.

He let out a long moan of his own when she started to come down harder, her grip tightening as she set a slow, almost torturous rhythm. He thought to say something, _anything_ to get her to move faster, but the only thing that came out was her name, which was cut off as she leaned down to capture his lips with hers. Though it was difficult not being able to touch her, he soon found the thought making its way out of his mind as he focused on the feeling of her all around him, enduring the sensations with hard groans and gasps that mixed with her own desperate moans and whimpers.

It was getting increasingly hard for Akito to restrain herself, and she was half tempted to just give up and let his hands wander where they pleased. Part of her missed the feeling of them running up her sides, stopping and squeezing when they settled on her breasts, but the other part, the one controlling her, refused to give up her power. He was completely submissive beneath her and she had put him there. _She_ had kissed him first; _she_ established her position and took full advantage of it.

A sharp wave of arousal shot through her body when they locked eyes, and she saw passion, helplessness and pure love in his, the sight finally making her pick up the pace, her hips meeting his with increased desperation.

"Akito," He gasped once he garnered up enough strength to speak, working against the familiar heat in his groin. "I'm going to…"

" _No_ ," She spat back. "You're not going to come until _I_ say you can," She snapped harshly, forcing herself to slow down, to delay his release as she loosened her grip, taking one of his hands in hers and guiding it down to where they were joined with a soft, urgent whimper.

He didn't need to hear any more to understand what she wanted as eager fingers found and pressed against her clit, making her scream as she resumed the hard, desperate rhythm, finding a certain pride in watching his frustrated expression as he forced himself to hold back on her orders, her long, desperate moans not helping the situation, especially when they melted into a shrill cry as she shuddered above him.

"Now. Now, now, now, _now_ ," Akito demanded, practically screaming the last part as it hit her, hard and fast, passion cresting through her body. Even with all of her nerves on fire, she still caught the sudden wave of warmth that came when he spilled into her, his climax being seen not as a surrender, but a conquest. _Her_ conquest.

"Akito?" Tedachi said as the aftermath of their ecstasy stared to fade.

"Hm?" She murmured as she finally moved off of him, and settled on the pillow, a soft sigh escaping her lips.

"What _was_ that?" He asked. Though he wasn't going to deny that he _definitely_ enjoyed it, he was utterly confused as to what had brought it on. What had changed his girlfriend from a hesitant woman still battling with her emotions after assault into the hard, commanding woman who'd practically demanded to fuck him?

"Me…Taking back control," She admitted, a blush forming on her cheeks as she suddenly became shy, having finally, fully processed what had just happened.

"Control of what?"

"I don't know! Just _control_. Over my body, my sexuality…I just…I didn't want him to win! I didn't want his bad decision to command me. To let me think I wasn't sexy, that I couldn't hold control over a man."

"You're not making any sense," He pointed out.

"Because this doesn't make any sense," She retorted. "But…It does make me feel better."

He smiled, carefully pulling her in for a soft, lazy kiss that she easily returned and deepened, deciding to forget about the reasons _why_ she was doing this and just focused on the feeling of it as she pressed herself against him.

"Touch me, Tedachi," She requested between kisses. "Put your hands on me."

"Are you…?"

" _Yes_ ," She interrupted before kissing him again, gasping when he abruptly pulled away and then giving a soft moan when he turned his attention to her breasts, carefully circling his tongue around her tight, puckered nipples, and smiling against her skin when her soft moan turned into his name. She frowned when he pulled away, but he was quick to kiss the displeased expression off her face, gently pushing her onto her back in the process.

Though he was careful, she couldn't help the brief, faint shot of terror that went through her as his warmth enveloped her. But then there was the scent of him, and the familiar heat of his soft, lingering kiss.

"If you're uncomfortable, just let me know and I'll stop," He ordered, leaving her with a light kiss before moving downward, lips ghosting over her heated flesh while his hands drew nonsensical patterns up her sides, making her gasp, the soft sound turning into an audible moan when he found her sensitive heat, his eyes quickly flickering upward, wordlessly asking for permission that she gave in the form of a long, loving gaze, a hand eagerly tangling in his hair, both encouraging and begging him. He started rather slowly, taking his time and letting her tell him exactly what to do, verbally and physically until he brought her screaming, her third orgasm of the night tearing through her as their eyes locked and she felt the last of her willpower slowly slipping away, something that she was surprisingly okay with because, in the end it wasn't really about power or control. It was about her being able to put her trust in him, to give him as much of her heart as she could spare.

* * *

"Akito?" Minori asked, gently rapping on her bedroom door the following afternoon. She frowned when she didn't receive an answer, something not uncommon in the past few days, and let out a sigh as she carefully slid the door open, gasping and dropping the food tray in her hands.

"What are you _doing_?!" Akito snapped, glaring at the mess and then at the maid before flipping another page in the binder containing the plans for Ritsu and Mitsuru's upcoming wedding and then typing a few notes into the document on her laptop.

"You… You look _so_ much better! You're _working_ ," Minori said, ignoring both the glare and the mess as she looked Akito over, her eyes focusing on the blue, butterfly pattern printed at the bottom of her dress. "And wearing your favourite dress!"

"Are you going to clean that up or…?" Akito started, giving a startled gasp when Minori suddenly threw her arms around her.

"What happened to you anyway?"

"I decided that I wasn't going to let _him_ control me anymore. I couldn't give him the satisfaction of knowing that he tore me down."

Minori simply gave her a small smile as she pulled away and then glanced toward the mess on the floor, her mind finally registering its existence. "I should…Probably get that."

" _And_ more food," Akito ordered. "That was supposed to be my lunch."

"Yes, yes. I know." Minori sighed as she left, soon coming back with the proper supplies and quickly cleaning up the mess she made, carefully collecting the dishes and then presenting them back to one of the kitchen maids with both an explanation and the order from Akito. Surprisingly, the other girl didn't seem to mind and scurried off without a word.

' _She probably just happy it was an accident and not the result of a bad mood or tantrum,'_ Minori concluded before decided to take a quick break while she waited for them to prepare another tray, raising an eyebrow when a younger maid rushed up to her with the news of a visitor, mouth forming an unattractive scowl when she heard the name. She then sent her off with a dismissive wave and left to pass the news on to Akito, who looked at her with wide eyes.

"Please…Tell me you're kidding," She said.

"Nope," Minori replied simply.

" _Fine_. I'll go see him."

"Are you _sure_?"

"If I don't do this now, he won't give up," Akito decided with a sigh as she headed downstairs, taking in a breath and forcing down her anger right before she slid open the main entrance, not bothering to give a proper bow as she leaned against the door, arms crossed over her chest, thinking the last thing this man deserved was her respect.

"I was afraid you wouldn't see me," Masamune said, quietly curing her for blatantly disrespecting him with both her lack of formalities and less-than-acceptable posture.

"As you should be. Now, what the _fuck_ do you want?"

He cringed at her language, but forced himself not to lash out. "Why the harshness? I simply came to offer my apologies for upsetting you the other day. What I did was out of line. I realise that now. And I hope you will not let it affect future dealings with my family."

' _You want to apologise for 'upsetting me?''_ She thought, holding back a scowl. _'I think you did a little more than that,_ _ **Sir**_ _.'_

"Miss Sohma? Did you…"

"Hm? Sorry. Yes, I heard you and you can tell your father – because I know he's behind this – that I _do not_ accept _his_ fake apology. Now, if you…"

"You're a _bitch_ , you know that?" He said, anger flashing in her eyes. "I come out of my way to offer my _own_ humble apology and…"

"You tried to _rape_ me!" Akito snapped. "You can go to hell for all I care! You're lucky I'm even standing here right now. Now, take your false sincerity and _get off_ my property!" She ordered, quickly whipping around and slamming the door before he could say anything else, ignoring the shuffle of feet that indicated one of the maids had come around to escort him out.

' _Good riddance,'_ She thought with a relieved sigh as she turned down the hall, gasping when she slammed into something and then looking up into a familiar gaze as a hand settled on her back, catching her before she hit the floor. "Tedachi," She said.

"Akito," He said back with a curt nod as she found her balance again and moved out of his grasp.

"We can't keep meeting like this," He teased.

"Oh, shut _up_ ," She replied, taking a hand to his shoulder and shoving him over before continuing on, whipping around when his hand settled on her wrist. She moved to protest, but was quick to forget the thought when his lips touched hers.

"You two are lucky I'm the one delivering this," Minori teased, her voice cutting through both their thoughts as they quickly broke apart.

"Way to kill the mood, Minori," Tedachi teased, smiling when she playfully stuck her tongue out at him before he moved on, the women exchanging a glance and then laughing as they headed in the opposite direction. However, despite the fact that things seemed like they were settling down, in the back of her mind, Akito knew that it would take a bit more time for her to heal completely. But, she also knew that she wouldn't have to do it alone, the thought drawing a soft smile out of her as she settled down to eat and invited Minori to stay, the other girl filling her mind and the room with happy chatter that soon had them both laughing their troubles away.


End file.
